X 


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THE 

GAMMANS  POETRY 

COLLECTION 


la  Memory  of 

GEORGE  H.  GAMMANS,  II 

Class  of  1940 

First  Lieutenant  Army  Air  Corps 

Distinguished  Service  Cross 

Missing  in  Action  January  15,  1943 

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UP  AND  DOING  SERIES 


THE  CRUISE  OF  THE  FIREFLY 


^£JZJ~  *s?f7 


# 


They  shot  over  the  Abyss.         8ee  Pa«e  28^ 


The 

Cruise  of  the  Firefly 


J 

By  Edward  S.  Ellis 

Author  of  "Deerfoot  Series,"  " Young  Pioneer  Series,"  "Log 
Cabin  Series,"  "The  New  Deerfoot  Series,"  etc.,  etc. 

and 

Wm.  Pendleton  Chipman,  D.D. 


ILLUSTRATED 
By  EDWIN  J.  PRITTIE 


THE  JOHN  C.  WINSTON  COMPANY 

CHICAGO  PHILADELPHIA  TORONTO 


Copyright  1506,  by  The  John  C.  Winston  Co. 
Copyright  1890,  by  the  Holiday  Publishing  Co. 


CONTENTS 


Chap. 

I. 

An  Unexpected  Challenge 

Chap. 

II. 

An  Exciting  Offer  .... 

Chap. 

III. 

A  Despicable  Plot  .... 

Chap. 

IV. 

The  Race    

Chap. 

V. 

Cripple  Ben's  Invitation  . 

Chap. 

VI. 

Further  Plotting  .... 

Chap. 

VII. 

Caught  in  a  Gale     .... 

Chap. 

VIII. 

The  Launch  Firefly  .    .    . 

Chap. 

IX. 

An  Unpleasant  Discovery 

Chap. 

X. 

The  Smashed  Boat  .... 

Chap. 

XI. 

The  Despoiled  Tents    .    . 

Chap. 

XII. 

The  Loup-cerviers  .... 

Chap. 

XIII, 

The  Hidden  Camp    .... 

4 

9 
17 
24 
34 
44 
56 
63 
73 
85 
98 
107 

115 
126 


M 


CONTENTS 

PAGB 

Chap.  XIV.  Intercepted 135 

Chap.  XV.  Harry's  Misfortune   ...  148 

Chap.  XVI.  In  a  Tight  Place 157 

Chap.  XVII.  The  Missing  Pelts   ....  167 

Chap.  XVIII.  An  Unpleasant  Wrangle  174 

Chap.  XIX.  A  Midnight  Alarm  ....  185 

Chap.  XX.  Lost  in  the  Mountain    .    .  193 

Chap.  XXI.  The  Indian  Camp 203 

Chap.  XXII.  A  Startling  Accusation   .  213 

Chap.  XXIII.  An  Honorable  Proposal   .  224 

Chap.  XXIV.  On  the  Trail 235 

Chap.  XXV.  A  Midnight  Desertion  .    .  244 

Chap.  XXVI.  A  Hard  Nut  to  Crack    .    .  253 

Chap.  XXVII.  A  Cry  for  Help 266 

Chap.  XXVIII.  Over  the  Falls 278 

Chap.  XXIX.  Auld  Lang  Syne 290 

Chap.  XXX.  Near  of  Kin 301 


ILLUSTRATIONS 


PAGE 

Frontispiece:  They  Shot  Over  the  Abyss 

"Hurrah,  the  Passage  is  Clear" 42 

"We  Must  Overhaul  Them,  Boys"    ....  147 

Fighting  the  Wolves   . 209 


THE  CRUISE  OF  THE 
FIREFLY 

CHAPTER  I 

AN  UNEXPECTED  CHALLENGE 

ON  THE  brow  of  a  large  hill,  just  without 
and  overlooking  the  village  and  river  of 
Melrose,  in  one  of  the  more  prominent 
of  the  eastern  States,  are  the  buildings  of  the 
Melrose  Valley  Institute,  a  highly  popular 
boarding  school  for  boys. 

Into  the  extensive  play-grounds  at  the  rear  of 
these  buildings,  one  bright  May  afternoon,  after 
the  day's  routine  of  study  was  over,  there 
poured  a  crowd  of  students,  from  twelve  to 
eighteen  years  of  age,  armed  with  bats  and  mal- 
lets and  racquets,  eager  for  the  hour's  sport. 

Suddenly  above  the  babel  of  noises  the  voice 
of  Harry  Wallace,  the  leading  spirit  in  all  the 
athletic  games  at  the  Institute  and  the  captain 
of  the  boat-club,  rang  out  loud  and  clear — 

"This  way,  members  of  the  M.  V.  I.  Boat- 
Club,  this  way !    I  have  a  surprise  for  you. ' ' 

9 


10  THE  CRUISE  OF  THE  FIREFLY 

Instantly  five  of  the  older  and  more  stalwart 
of  the  lads  gathered  aronnd  him. 

"A  surprise?"  echoed  Tom  Sexsmith,  the 
bow  stroke  of  the  crew,  and  an  irrepressible  wag 
in  his  way.  "Can  it  be  the  doctor  has  given 
yon  an  extra  page  of  the  Anabasis  to — " 

"Oh,  my!"  broke  in  Eob  Hunt,  another  of 
the  squad,  "just  as  thongh  there  conld  be  any 
surprise  in  that.  Come,  Wallace,  let  up  on  our 
curiosity,  and  tell  us  what's  in  the  wind." 

' '  The  M.  H.  S.  crew  have  had  the  audacity  to 
challenge  us  to  a  race. ' '  Captain  Harry  imme- 
diately announced,  in  tones  that  implied  his  ex- 
pectation of  arousing  the  incredulity  of  his 
hearers. 

"You  don't  say  so!"  cried  several  voices  at 
once  with  well-feigned  astonishment. 

"What  can  they  be  thinking  of?  Do  they 
mean  to  give  us  a  walk-over?"  inquired  Tom 
Sexsmith  a  moment  later,  and  with  an  inde- 
scribable grimace. 

When  the  hearty  laugh  that  his  words  and 
act  had  aroused  subsided,  Ed  Willis,  another  of 
the  crew,  asked: 

1 '  Can  they  really  be  in  earnest  1 ' ' 

"I  rather  think  they  are!  Listen!"  replied 
Harry  Wallace,  drawing  a  paper  from  his 
pocket,  and  reading  it  aloud: 


AN  UNEXPECTED  CHALLENGE  11 

Melrose,   May  20th,   19  —  . 

To  Mr.  Harry  Wallace,  Captain  of  the  M.  V.  I.  Boat-Club : 

Sir:  The  boat-club  of  which  I  have  the  honor  to  be 
captain  has  authorized  me  to  challenge  your  club  to  a 
six-oared  race  on  the  Melrose  River,  at  such  a  time  and 
place  as  may  be  arranged  by  a  joint-committee  appointed 
for  that  purpose,  provided,  of  course,  you  conclude  to 
accept.  Hoping  to  receive  a  favorable  response  at  an 
early  date,  I  remain,  .    Tmly  yours? 

Reed  Jones. 

"He  comes  right  to  the  point,  and  no  mis- 
take," declared  Bob  Hunt,  with  a  prolonged 
whistle.     "What  shall  we  do  about  it,  Harry?" 

"  Do  1  There  is  but  one  thing  to  do ;  accept 
of  course !  Why,  this  is  the  best  streak  of  luck 
that  has  come  to  us  in  the  whole  year.  If  we 
can  add  this  to  our  season's  triumphs  over  them 
the  star  of  M.  V.  I.  will  surely  be  in  the  as- 
cendancy. ' ' 

' '  Rah !  rah !  rah !  tiger ! ' '  cried  his  comrades, 
swinging  their  caps  in  the  air.  "When  is  the 
race  to  come  off?" 

"Probably  in  about  two  weeks,"  explained 
Wallace.  "You  see  we  must  have  time  to  com- 
plete our  arrangements." 

"Not  under  two  weeks,"  said  one  of  the  crew, 
with  a  disappointed  air. 

"Of  course  not,  Williams;  but  we  can  send 


12  THE  CRUISE  OF  THE  FIREFLY 

in  our  acceptance  to-day.     In  fact,  I  have  it  with 
me ;  how  do  you  like  this  f ' ' 

Melrose,  May  21st,  19—. 
Mr.  Reed  Jones,  Captain  of  the  M.  H.  S.  Boat-Club: 

My  Dear  Sir:  It  gives  us  pleasure  to  accept  your 
challenge  to  a  race,  and  we  shall  appoint  a  committee  of 
three  this  evening  to  consult  with  a  similar  committee 
from  your  club  as  to  the  necessary  arrangements.  We 
need  not  add  that  we  shall  do  our  best  to  win  one  more 
victory  for  the  M.  V.  I.  over  the  M.  H.  S. 

Harry  Wallace, 
Captain  of  the  M.   V.  I.  Boat-Club. 

1 '  That 's  right !  Hurrah ! ' '  cried  the  maj  ority 
of  the  lads,  though  one  or  two  thought  the  last 
sentence  unnecessary,  as  there  was  no  need  of 
reminding  the  M.  H.  S.  of  their  humiliating  de- 
feats. 

But,  on  the  whole,  the  reply  was  quite  satis- 
factory, and  was  sent  down  to  the  village  office 
at  once. 

A  strong  rivalry  in  all  out-door  sports  had 
long  existed  between  the  students  of  the  Mel- 
rose Valley  Institute  and  those  of  the  Melrose 
High  School.  Possibly  something  of  this  spirit 
was  due  to  the  fact  that  Dr.  Randall,  the  prin- 
cipal of  the  Institute,  had  some  years  previous 
been  the  head  master  of  the  High  School,  but 
owing  to  some  disagreement  with  the  town  au- 


AN  UNEXPECTED  CHALLENGE      13 


thorities  over  the  school  management  he  had 
resigned  and  established  the  Institute  upon  the 
hill. 

With  a  strong  backing  from  many  of  Mel- 
rose's most  influential  citizens,  and  a  large  per- 
sonal influence  as  an  educator  throughout  the 
eastern  States,  Dr.  Randall  made  his  institution 
from  the  very  outset  a  decided  success.  But 
those  who  had  the  management  of  the  High 
School  still  maintained  a  hostile  attitude  toward 
the  more  prosperous  seat  of  learning,  and  that 
feeling,  unconsciously  perhaps,  was  shared  by 
the  students  of  each  institution. 

The  High  School  attendants  had  from  the  be- 
ginning sought  to  draw  those  of  the  Institute 
into  every  form  of  athletic  contest,  and  for  sev- 
eral years  were  more  than  a  match  for  the  ag- 
gressive incomers,  but  within  the  last  few 
months  there  had  come  a  change. 

When  Harry  Wallace  entered  the  Institute — 
the  fall  before  the  opening  of  our  story — a  new 
impetus  was  given  to  all  athletic  and  gymnastic 
exercises.  His  fine  physical  development,  per- 
sonal magnetism,  and  extraordinary  skill  in  all 
sports,  drew  around  him  a  crowd  of  comrades, 
whom  he  soon  trained  to  a  dexterity  scarely  less 
than  his  own. 

Under  his  drill  the  base-ball  nine,  the  foot- 


14  THE  CRUISE  OF  THE  FIREFLY 

ball  team,  the  cricket  and  lawn-tennis  clubs,  bad 
all  been  brought  to  a  degree  of  expertness  which 
had  enabled  them  easily  to  vanquish  their  vil- 
lage opponents  in  every  contest. 

The  increasing  triumphs  of  the  M.  V.  I.'s 
made  them,  it  must  be  acknowledged,  vain-glor- 
ious, and  they  lost  no  opportunity  to  remind 
their  antagonists  of  their  departing  prestige. 

This  had  naturally  deepened  the  hostile  feel- 
ing between  the  inmates  of  the  two  schools,  and 
for  some  weeks  they  had  nothing  to  do  with 
each  other.  In  fact,  the  M.  V.  I.'s  began  to 
think  their  opponents  had  decided  to  retire  from 
the  field,  confessing  themselves  vanquished, 
when  this  challenge  to  the  boat-race  unexpect- 
edly came  and  apprised  them  of  their  mistake. 

' '  This  is  only  a  resort  to  recover  their  former 
glory,"  remarked  Tom  Sexsmith  to  Harry  Wal- 
lace, as  they  left  their  companions  and  walked 
down  to  the  ball-ground. 

1 '  Only  beat  them  now,  and  they  '11  never  crow 
again." 

"We  must  do  it,"  replied  Wallace  emphat- 
ically. "  In  no  year  of  their  triumphs  have  they 
won  a  clean  score  of  victories.  Give  us  this 
boat-race  and  we  have  such  a  record,  and  it  will 
go  a  long  way  toward  wiping  out  the  disgrace 
of  a  long  and  continuous  series  of  defeats." 


AN  UNEXPECTED  CHALLENGE      15 

At  a  meeting  of  the  boat-club  that  evening  a 
committee  of  three  was  chosen  to  arrange  with 
a  like  board  of  the  M.  H.  S.  the  preparations 
for  the  race.  In  the  course  of  another  day  the 
latter  club  responded,  and  the  joint-committee 
came  together  to  make  such  arrangements  as 
were  necessary. 

The  race  was  to  be  a  six-oared  one,  and  was 
to  take  place  two  weeks  from  the  following  Sat- 
urday afternoon  on  the  Melrose,  the  river  run- 
ning through  the  town,  and  at  the  foot  of  the 
hill  upon  which  the  Institute  stood. 

The  boats  were  to  start  from  a  point  called 
Old  Field,  and  run  up  the  river  three  miles  to 
the  Narrows.  This  course,  which  had  been 
rowed  over  many  times  by  both  crews,  was  all 
that  could  be  desired,  except  at  one  place  known 
as  Long  Bar,  where  a  sandy  point,  jutting  out 
from  the  left  bank,  made  a  sharp  angle  to  the 
river. 

At  high  water  only  the  extreme  end  of  this 
huge  arm  rose  like  an  island  above  the  flood,  and 
boats  could  cross  the  neck  to  save  two  or  three 
rods  in  distance.  This,  however,  was  a  haz- 
ardous undertaking  to  one  unacquainted  with 
the  passage.  At  low  water  the  place  was  barely 
covered. 

The  committee  of  arrangements,  knowing  two 


16  THE  CRUISE  OF  THE  FIREFLY 

boats  could  not  safely  pass  abreast  at  this 
place,  wisely  decided,  to  avoid  all  trouble,  by 
ordering  that  both  shells  should  keep  within  the 
deep  channel  to  the  right. 

This  decision  was  satisfactory  to  the  con- 
testing parties,  and,  the  preliminaries  over,  a 
fair  though  exciting  race  was  anticipated. 


CHAPTER  II 

AN  EXCITING  OFFER 

A  WEEK  later,  Rob  Hunt  dropped  into 
Wallace's  room  during  recreation  hours. 
"I  say,  Harry,"  was  his  greeting,  "did 
you  know  the  whole  village  is  getting  wild  over 
our  coming  race?" 

"I  had  heard  something  like  it,"  answered  he 
with  a  smile,  and  laying  down  the  book  he  was 
reading ;  ' '  and  don 't  know  that  I  am  surprised. 
But  what  difference  does  it  make  to  us  any 
way?" 

"Why,  nothing,"  went  on  Rob,  "only  the  big- 
ger half  is  siding  with  the  M.  H.  S.  crew,  and 
are  arranging  to  give  them  a  grand  ovation — 
music,  speeches  and  supper,  and  all  that  sort  of 
thing — if  they  win. ' ' 

"That  last  clause  is  well  put,"  remarked 
Harry.  "Let  them  make  all  the  preparations 
they  please  in  that  direction ;  it  will  only  render 
our  victory  the  more  glorious,  their  defeat  the 
more  humiliating,  because  unexpected.  But 
who  are  the  prime  movers  in  this  thing?" 

2  17 


18  THE  CRUISE  OF  THE  FIREFLY 

"There  is  where  you  get  me,  Wallace.  I 
can't  find  out  anything  sure.  Jack  Howard 
does  the  most  of  the  talking.  Only  this  morn- 
ing I  met  him,  and  he  said  the  town  club  would 
come  in  ten  lengths  ahead  of  us,  and  offered  to 
bet  me  five  to  one  on  that. ' ' 

"I  hope  you  didn't  take  the  bet,  Rob,  and  that 
none  of  the  other  lads  are  betting  on  the  race, ' ' 
said  his  comrade  with  evident  anxiety.  "What- 
ever the  High  School  boys  may  do,  let  us  go 
through  this  thing  in  a  square  and  honorable 
way.  I'd  rather  be  beaten  than  to  win  un- 
fairly, or  to  do  anything  so  debasing  as  to  bet 
on  the  result. ' ' 

"I'm  with  you  there,"  was  Hunt's  quick  re- 
ply. "  It  is  hinted,  however,  that  our  opponents 
may  not  be  so  particular,  but  will  leave  no  stone 
unturned  to  gain  the  victory  by  fair  means  or 
by  foul." 

"If  Jack  Howard  were  one  of  the  crew,  I 
would  believe  that,"  answered  Harry;  "but  I 
think  Jones  is  above  anything  underhand." 

"I'm  not  so  sure  of  that,"  broke  in  Rob;  "he 
and  Howard  are  as  thick  as  peas  in  a  pod,  and 
by  their  talk  you'd  think  they  were  going  into 
the  thing  out  of  personal  spite.  Have  they  any- 
thing against  you,  Wallace?" 

"Howard  may  think  so,"  replied  Harry  with 


AN  EXCITING  OFFER  19 

a  hearty  laugh.  "He  hasn't  been  over  and 
above  friendly  since  my  tussle  with  him  last 
fall." 

"What  was  that?" 

"Oh !  I  caught  him  teasing  Cripple  Ben.  He 
had  thrown  the  boy's  crutches  away,  and  was 
laughing  and  jeering  at  the  poor  fellow's  efforts 
to  crawl  along  to  them.  I  interfered,  gave  the 
lad  his  sticks,  and  told  Jack  he  ought  to  be  in 
better  business  than  that.  He  riled  up  and 
pitched  into  me,  and  in  the  struggle  that  fol- 
lowed I  threw  him  into  the  river.  I  didn  't  mean 
to  duck  him,  but  he  went  for  me  so  furiously 
I  had  to  or  get  a  wetting  myself. ' ' 

"And  served  him  just  right,  too.  I  remem- 
ber all  about  it  now.  Well,  he  is  doing  his  best 
to  defeat  us.     Perhaps  Reed  is  setting  him  on. ' ' 

"I  hardly  think  so.  I  have  a  better  opinion 
of  him  than  that, ' '  said  Harry. 

"Time  will  tell,"  remarked  Hunt  dryly  and 
rising  to  go.  "Anyway,  if  no  one  is  going  to 
prepare  a  big  supper  for  us,  we  will  go  in  for 
the  victory  just  the  same. ' ' 

"Of  course  we  will,"  returned  Wallace, 
warmly ; ' '  but  we  are  by  no  means  alone.  Many 
of  the  town  people  are  in  sympathy  with  us,  and 
the  whole  school  will  back  us.  I  believe  the 
Doctor  himself,  though  he  might  not  own  it, 


20  THE  CRUISE  OF  THE  FIREFLY 

would  be  wonderfully  tickled  if  we  should  win. ' ' 
The  next  day  proved  that  Wallace  had  not 
over-estimated  the  principal's  interest  in  the 
coming  race,  for,  at  the  close  of  the  chapel  ex- 
ercises, he  detained  the  students  a  few  minutes, 
to  say: 

"  Young  gentlemen,  the  extraordinary  excite- 
ment in  town  over  an  event  which  is  soon  to 
occur  ought,  perhaps,  to  receive  some  notice 
from  me.  While  I  deplore  any  feeling  in  this 
matter  other  than  an  honest  pride  in  the  club 
for  which  we  may  naturally  have  a  preference, 
I  understand  the  present  circumstances  well 
enough  to  say  I  shall  not  be  displeased  if  the 
victory  comes  to  the  Institute.  For  some  years 
we  have  been  forced  into  athletic  contests  with 
the  other  institution  of  learning  in  the  town,  and 
have  manfully  swallowed  our  defeats.  Now 
that  the  triumphs  are  falling  into  our  hands, 
they  are  displaying  a  spirit  anything  but  com- 
mendable. I  only  caution  you  to  say  nothing 
unkind  of  your  opponents.  Be  honorable  in  all 
your  dealings  with  them.  Above  all,  so  far  as 
you  are  concerned,  see  to  it  that  the  race  is  a 
fair  one,  stained  by  no  underhand  or  debasing 
features.  Then  if  the  victory  shall  come  to  you, 
it  will  not  only  be  worth  the  obtaining,  but  may, 
as  has  been  suggested  by  one  of  your  number, 


AN  EXCITING  OFFER  21 

put  an  end  to  the  foolish  rivalry  which  has  so 
long  existed  between  the  two  schools." 

"My!"  cried  Tom  Sexsmith,  as  he  walked 
with  Harry  Wallace  over  to  the  class-room; 
"the  Doctor  has  woke  up,  hasn't  he!  Did  you 
ever  hear  of  his  taking  interest  enough  in  any 
sport  before  to  speak  of  it  in  the  chapel?  I 
tell  you  we  are  getting  famous,  old  boy,"  and 
he  brought  his  right  hand  down  upon  his  com- 
panion's shoulder  with  a  force  that  fairly  made 
him  wince. 

"We  have  both  honor  and  reason  enough 
now  to  go  into  this  race  to  win,"  replied  Wal- 
lace, with  a  sparkle  in  his  eyes. 

But  he  and  his  comrades  were  destined  to 
have  a  greater  incentive  than  this  to  do  their 
best;  for  the  day  before  the  race  came  off  Harry 
received  the  following  surprising  letter  from 
his  father,  a  wealthy  manufacturer  in  another 
State : 


Worcester,  Mass.,  June  7th,  18- 


"My  Dear  Boy: 


"Not  only  through  your  own  letters,  but  from  Dr.  Kan- 
dall  himself,  I  have  learned  of  your  coming  boat-race,  and 
the  unusual  excitement  it  has  created  in  Melrose;  and  I 
write  to  tell  you  that  your  mother,  sisters  and  myself,  with 
a  host  of  friends  and  relatives  of  the  other  students,  ex- 


22  THE  CRUISE  OF  THE  FIREFLY 

peet  to  be  in  the  village  to  arouse  your  enthusiasm  by  our 
presence,  sympathy  and  cheers. 

"More  than  this.  Learning  of  the  stupendous  incentives 
offered  the  other  crew  by  some  of  the  town's  people,  we 
have  thought  it  no  more  than  fair  that  you  and  your  crew 
should  also  be  spurred  to  your  best  by  these  no  less  tanta- 
lizing offers : 

"If  you  win,  a  pair  of  silk  banners,  suitably  inscribed, 
shall  be  presented  you,  to  be  preserved  in  the  archives  of 
the  institution  as  mementoes  of  your  victory. 

"In  addition  to  this  offer,  which  comes  from  a  number 
of  the  friends  of  the  Institute,  I  make  this  personal  an- 
nouncement :  that  I  will  defray  the  entire  expenses  of 
yourself  and  crew  for  a  two  months'  camp  out  at  any  place 
you  and  they  may  choose  from  Maine  to  Labrador.  Thus 
your  long-cherished  wish  may  be  gratified,  and  under  cir- 
cumstances that  cannot  but  render  the  excursion  an  ex- 
tremely pleasant  one. 

"I  would  say,  also,  that  I  have  secured  the  consent  of  the 
parents  of  all  your  comrades  that  they  may  accompany 
you,  and  you  can  be  off  as  soon  after  the  close  of  the 
school-term  as  your  arrangements  will  allow. 

"Could  I  offer  you  a  greater  inducement  to  win  the 
race!  Your  father, 

John  Wallace." 

Harry  did  not  read  this  letter  to  his  crew  until 
they  were  all  equipped  for  their  last  practice 
row  over  the  course  that  afternoon.  As  might 
be  expected,  they  were  wild  with  enthusiasm, 
and  buckling  their  belts  a  little  tighter  about 
them  they  grasped  their  oars,  and  at  the  com- 


AN  EXCITING  OFFER  23 

mand  of  their  captain  shot  out  into  the  river. 
Faster  and  faster  they  went,  all  together  and 
with  a  will  and  dash  which,  if  maintained  the 
following  day,  cou]d  not  help,  it  seemed,  but  in- 
sure them  the  victory.  Never  had  they  pulled 
together  that  way  before. 


CHAPTER  III 

A  DESPICABLE  PLOT 

OLD  FIELD  POINT,  where  the  race  on  the 
morrow  was  to  begin,  was  situated,  as  al- 
ready intimated,  a  little  below  the  vil- 
lage proper.  Struggling  houses,  however,  ran 
down  the  river  bank  to  it,  the  last  one,  a  low  and 
dilapidated  structure,  being,  in  fact,  but  a  few 
rods  from  its  extremity. 

At  the  door  of  this  cabin  (for  it  was  scarcely 
more  than  that),  a  lad  of  about  sixteen  years 
was  sitting  on  that  Friday  afternoon  that  the 
M.  V.  I.  boat-crew  came  down  for  their  last 
practice.  He  saw  the  shell  as  it  took  its  place 
at  the  starting-line,  and  watched  with  eager  in- 
terest, though  he  could  not  hear  a  word  of 
Harry  Wallace  as  he  read  his  father's  letter  to 
his  companions;  then  he  beheld  the  frail  boat 
dash  away  up  the  stream  at  a  speed  he  had 
never  seen  the  oarsmen  attain  before. 

"Whew!  ain't  they  cutting  the  water 
though,"  he  exclaimed  with  manifest  delight. 
' '  If  they  only  row  like  that  to-morrow  the  race 

24 


A  DESPICABLE  PLOT  25 

is  theirs  sure;  and  on  Harry's  account  I  do 
hope  they'll  win  it." 

The  last  words  were  uttered  with  a  trem- 
ulousness  that  disclosed  the  fact  that  the  manly 
captain  of  the  Institute  crew  held  for  some 
reason  a  warm  place  in  the  speaker's  heart ;  nor 
will  this  seem  strange  to  the  reader  when  he  is 
told  that  the  watching  lad  was  Cripple  Ben,  the 
same  youth  whose  part  Wallace  had  taken  some 
months  before,  and  rescued  from  the  hands  of 
Jack  Howard. 

As  the  boat  disappeared  around  the  bend  at 
Long  Bar,  the  boy  reached  out  his  hands  to  a 
pair  of  crutches  leaning  against  the  side  of  the 
building,  and  with  their  help  assumed  an  up- 
right position. 

We  see  at  once  that  he  is  of  good  size,  with 
a  noble  head,  and  a  face  that  bespeaks  intelli- 
gence and  decisiveness  of  character.  There  is 
about  him  a  neatness  and  an  air  of  manly  inde- 
pendence, also,  which  makes  even  his  coarse  and 
patched  clothing  seem  respectable  and  attrac- 
tive. 

But  our  admiration  for  the  lad  changes  to  pity 
when  we  notice  his  limbs;  for  these  are  so  con- 
tracted and  twisted  out  of  shape  by  disease  as 
to  be  practically  useless.  We  feel  a  natural 
anxiety,  moreover,  to  know  more  about  him. 


26  THE  CRUISE  OF  THE  FIREFLY 

Benjamin  Probert,  or  Cripple  Ben,  as  he  was 
usually  called,  was  the  only  child  of  John  and 
Mary  Probert.  The  father  had  been  a  sea- 
faring man,  the  captain  and  part  owner  of  a 
fishing-smack  sailing  from  Thomaston,  a  small 
port  at  the  mouth  of  the  Melrose  River. 

When  Ben  was  twelve  years  of  age,  however, 
Captain  Probert  sailed  on  what  proved  to  be  his 
last  voyage.  In  a  severe  gale,  which  played 
havoc  among  the  fishing  vessels  on  the  banks 
that  season,  the  Sivan  was  wrecked  and  all  her 
crew  perished. 

The  smack  was  not  insured,  moreover,  and 
Mrs.  Probert  therefore  found  herself  not  only 
unexpectedly  left  a  widow,  but  also  compara- 
tively destitute.  For  a  while  she  and  her  boy 
did  their  best  to  maintain  the  home  they  had 
been  accustomed  to,  but  the  times  were  hard, 
and  the  struggle,  though  long  and  persistent, 
finally  ended  in  their  giving  up  the  house  where 
they  had  so  long  lived,  and  moving  into  the 
cabin  at  Old.  Field  Point. 

Up  to  this  time  Ben  had  been  a  well  and 
hearty  lad;  but,  as  though  their  misfortunes 
were  not  already  great  enough,  there  now  came 
the  one  which  left  the  boy  an  unfortunate  crip- 
ple. 

It  was  the  spring  he  was  thirteen  years  old ; 


A  DESPICABLE  PLOT  27 

he  had  gone  with  a  neighbor  in  a  yawl  down  into 
the  outside  bay,  five  miles  below  Melrose,  to 
trawl  after  mackerel.  A  blinding  snow-squall 
came  up,  and  they  were  driven  out  to  sea.  All 
the  following  night,  through  the  storm  and  cold, 
they  toiled  to  keep  the  little  craft  afloat  and 
themselves  from  being  frozen  to  death,  and  the 
next  morning  were  picked  up  in  an  exhausted 
condition  by  an  incoming  vessel. 

The  man  never  recovered  from  the  sickness 
that  followed  that  exposure,  and  for  months  the 
lad  lay  helpless  upon  his  bed.  At  length,  how- 
ever, he  was  able  to  go  about  on  crutches,  and 
so  had  he  been  obliged  ever  since  to  go,  the  con- 
tracted muscles  obstinately  refusing  under  all 
treatment  to  return  to  their  normal  condition. 

During  the  weeks  of  his  protracted  illness  the 
mother  watched  faithfully  by  his  bedside,  and 
when  he  was  out  again  had  set  herself  resolutely 
to  the  task  of  paying  the  debts  that  through  that 
time  had  necessarily  accumulated. 

Ben  was  eager  to  aid  his  mother  in  this  work, 
but  at  first  found  that  he  was  able  to  do  little 
more  than  care  for  the  house  in  her  absence. 

Few  knew  how  that  mother  and  son  denied 
themselves,  and  hoarded  their  little  earnings 
until  the  last  dollar  of  debt  was  paid.  Then  a 
little  more  was  saved,  and  a  light  boat  was  pur- 


28  THE  CRUISE  OF  THE  FIREFLY 

chased  for  the  boy's  use,  and  in  favorable 
weather  he  was  usually  to  be  seen  on  the  river 
fishing.  He  soon  knew  the  favorite  haunts  of 
the  different  kinds  of  fish  that  frequented  the 
stream,  and  became  an  expert  angler  for  his 
years,  finding  a  ready  market  for  all  he  caught 
at  the  village. 

But,  after  all,  what  he  earned  was  not  a  large 
sum,  and  on  the  mother  the  burden  of  their  sup- 
port still  rested.  Ben  chafed  more  over  this 
than  any  other  thing.  He  could  stand  the  jeers 
and  mockery  of  the  thoughtless  youth  at  his  in- 
firmity ;  he  could  get  along  with  scanty  fare  and 
patched  clothing ;  but  when  he  say  his  mother 's 
tired  and  wan  face  his  heart,  in  spite  of  himself, 
would  sometimes  rebel  at  his  lot,  and  he  would 
long  for  his  old  health  and  strength  that  he 
might  be  her  full  support. 

Still,  on  the  whole,  he  was  of  a  cheerful  dis- 
position, and  on  this  particular  afternoon  was 
in  the  best  of  spirits.  He  had  had  good  luck 
that  morning  fishing,  and  had  sold  his  catch  for 
a  half  dollar,  a  large  sum  to  him ;  then  he  was 
rejoicing  that  there  was  so  good  a  prospect  that 
the  boy  who  had  befriended  him  was  likely  to 
win  the  race  over  which  the  town  was  so  thor- 
oughly excited. 

He  had  met  Harry  Wallace  but  a  few  times 


A  DESPICABLE  PLOT  29 

since  his  kindness,  and  then  only  to  give  him  a 
few  words  of  greeting ;  but  Ben  was  not  one  who 
readily  forgot  a  favor,  and  in  his  heart  he  cher- 
ished not  only  a  warm  regard  for  the  boy  who 
had  dared  to  interfere  in  his  behalf,  but  a  secret 
determination  to  repay  his  kindness  at  the  first 
opportunity.  Though  he  himself  would  quickly 
have  acknowledged  that  he  didn't  know  how  or 
when  such  an  opportunity  could  possibly  occur. 

He  stood  there  on  his  crutches  that  afternoon 
for  some  minutes  after  the  shell  had  disap- 
peared up  the  river ;  then  he  said  aloud : 

"I  guess  I'll  take  my  pole  and  go  down  to  the 
river  after  some  perch  for  supper.  The  tide  is 
nearly  in,  and  I  can  catch  them  right  off  the 
point." 

He  hobbled  around  the  corner  of  the  house 
and  got  his  pole  and  bait,  and  then  went  slowly 
down  to  the  shore.  The  bank  of  the  river  at 
that  place  was  a  little  steep,  but  he  was  used  to 
it ;  and,  first  sliding  down  the  pole  which  he  had 
managed  to  bring  along  by  pressing  it  tightly 
under  one  arm  close  to  his  crutch,  he  scrambled 
down  himself.  Then  creeping  upon  a  large  rock 
that  projected  well  out  into  the  stream  he  baited 
his  hook  and  proceeded  to  business.  The  vo- 
racious perch,  or  cunners,  took  hold  briskly,  and 


30  THE  CRUISE  OF  THE  FIREFLY 

in  a  short  time  lie  had  a  dozen  or  more  of  fair 
size  upon  his  string. 

"I  guess  there  are  as  many  as  ma  and  I'll 
eat, ' '  he  remarked,  eyeing  the  flopping  fish  with 
some  satisfaction.  Then  he  wound  up  the  line, 
and  began  his  return  to  the  cabin. 

The  ascent  of  the  bank  was  more  difficult  for 
him  than  the  descent,  but  he  had  long  since 
learned  how  to  manage  it.  The  fish  were  tossed 
well  up  toward  the  top,  and  the  pole  was  laid 
against  the  bank  so  he  could  reach  its  upper  end 
from  the  summit;  then  he  slowly  and  carefully 
advanced  his  crutches  up  the  steep  grade,  draw- 
ing himself  along  after  them. 

Just  as  his  head  reached  the  top  of  the  bank 
he  suddenly  stopped.  Within  a  rod  or  two  of 
him  were  Reed  Jones  and  Jack  Howard;  and, 
recalling  how  often  he  had  been  tormented  by 
them,  he  thought  it  wiser  to  avoid  meeting  them 
now,  and  so  crouched  down  under  some  adjacent 
shrubbery  until  they  should  pass. 

But  they  paused  so  near  that  he  could  not 
help  hearing  their  conversation. 

"There,  Seed,"  said  Jack,  "you  can  see  Long 
Bar  from  here,  and  just  this  side  of  it  you  will 
notice  the  stretch  of  reedy  bank  I  was  telling 
you  about.  At  high  water,  as  it  is  now  and  will 
be  to-morrow  afternoon,  a  boat  properly  guided 


A  DESPICABLE  PLOT  31 

can  at  that  point  glide  over  the  shoals  and  gain 
a  length.  As  it  is  this  side  of  the  Bar,  and  noth- 
ing has  been  said  against  it  by  the  committee  of 
arrangements,  it  will  of  course  be  fair  for  either 
of  you  to  take  advantage  of  it.  I  have  several 
times  noticed  that  Wallace  and  his  crew  have 
dashed  across  there,  and  evidently  they  are  in- 
tending to  gain  a  length  on  you  in  that  way  to- 
morrow. This  gives  me  the  chance  to  fix  up  my 
little  plan." 

Up  to  this  point  Ben  had  no  intention  of  be- 
ing an  eaves-dropper;  but  as  these  words  fell 
from  Howard's  lips  he  would  not  have  disclosed 
his  presence  for  the  world.  With  ears  strained, 
he  listened  to  catch  every  word. 

"In  that  passage-way,"  Jack  went  on,  "I 
shall  to-night  drive  down  two  or  three  stakes, 
leaving  their  tops  an  inch  or  two  under  the 
water,  and  when  Wallace  dashes  through  there 
he  will  strike  one  or  the  other  of  them,  and" 
— with  a  laugh — ' '  not  go  much  farther. ' ' 

"But,"  objected  Jones,  "won't  he  be  apt  to 
see  them  and  avoid  them,  and  so  get  an  actual 
start  on  me;  or,  if  stranded  there,  may  he  not 
make  a  fuss  and  have  the  race  called  off!" 

"I  have  provided  for  both  of  those  possibili- 
ties," replied  Howard  quickly.  "In  case  he 
passes  through  all  right  I  shall  be  in  a  shell 


32  THE  CRUISE  OF  THE  FIREFLY 

just  around  the  island  end  of  the  bar,  and  shall 
manage  so  that  while  I  seem  to  be  making  every 
effort  to  get  out  of  the  way,  I  really  foul  with 
him.  Then  all  you  have  to  do  is  to  pull  straight 
away  for  the  goal ." 

"It  may  work,"  remarked  Jones  gloomily; 
"we  must  have  something  of  that  kind  to  win, 
for  we  can't  begin  to  pull  the  stroke  they  did 
this  afternoon.  I  timed  them  up  yonder. 
Can't  you  arrange  to  just  delay  the  other  boat 
without  actually  fouling  with  them?  Only  let 
us  get  a  length  or  two  in  the  lead,  and  we  are 
all  right." 

"I'll  take  care  of  that,  if  necessary,"  an- 
swered Jack;  "but  I  don't  think  it  will  be,  for 
the  stakes  will  fix  them  in  the  reedy  passage.  I 
was  going  to  tell  you,  also,  that  I  have  arranged 
so  they  will  not  get  us  into  trouble.  I  have 
pulled  up  some  water-soaked  posts  down  at 
Nichol's  water  fence,  and  shall  put  them  in  up 
there.  Then  should  an  investigation  be  ordered 
they  will  think  the  sticks  have  been  there  for 
months,  only  Wallace  and  his  crew  didn't  hap- 
pen to  strike  them  before,"  and  the  fellow 
laughed  heartily  at  his  despicable  trick. 

The  conspirators  now  retraced  their  steps  to- 
ward the  village.  As  soon  as  they  were  out  of 
sight  Ben  hobbled  up  the  bank,  and  gathering 


A  DESPICABLE  PLOT  33 

up  his  pole  and  fish  crossed  over  to  the  cabin, 
muttering  to  himself : 

"  A  nice  little  plot,  Jack  Howard,  but  it  won't 
work  this  time,  not  if  Cripple  Ben  knows  what 
he  is  about." 


CHAPTER  IV 

THE  RACE 

ON  ARRIVING  at  the  house  Ben  did  not 
seem  to  be  in  any  hurry  to  carry  out  the 
purpose  his  soliloquy  had  implied  he 
was  contemplating;  for  he  built  a  fire  in  the 
kitchen  stove  and  filled  the  tea-kettle  with  water. 
Then  he  cleaned  and  cooked  his  fish,  and  when 
his  mother  returned  from  her  work  at  a  little 
past  six  o'clock  an  inviting  though  simple  re- 
past was  upon  the  table. 

The  boy  had  in  his  make-up  a  touch  of  refine- 
ment and  thoughtfulness  that  was  hardly  to  be 
expected  of  one  in  his  surroundings,  for  he  had 
collected  and  arranged  with  considerable  artis- 
tic skill  a  bouquet  of  wild  flowers  at  his  moth- 
er's plate;  beside  it,  too,  was  a  single  orange, 
which  out  of  his  money  earned  that  day  he  had 
bought  for  her. 

Little  as  were  these  acts,  the  mother  under- 
stood them,  and  the  fond  look  she  gave  her  son 
as  she  took  her  seat  opposite  to  him  had  in  it  a 
wealth  of  affection  deep  and  abiding.     Love, 

34 


THE  RACE  35 

which  can  make  the  humblest  home  a  heaven, 


evidently  dwelt  beneath  that  dilapidated  roof. 

Not  until  the  supper  was  finished,  and  the 
dishes  washed  and  put  away  in  the  tiny  cup- 
board for  the  night,  did  the  lad  give  any  inti- 
mation that  he  had  any  special  plan  he  intended 
to  execute.  Then,  however,  he  put  on  his  hat 
and  took  his  crutches,  saying : 

"I  have  to  go  up  to  the  village,  mother,  and 
may  be  gone  some  time ;  but  you  needn  't  worry, 
as  I  shall  be  back  as  soon  as  possible." 

"Up  to  the  village  to-night !"  exclaimed  she 
in  great  surprise,  for  Ben  seldom  went  out  after 
nightfall.  "What  are  you  going  up  there 
for?" 

The  boy  had  no  secrets  from  his  mother,  and 
briefly  recounted  the  plot  he  had  overheard,  and 
added : 

"I'm  going  up  to  the  Institute  to  tell  Harry 
Wallace  all  about  it. ' ' 

"Of  course  he  ought  to  know  it,"  assented 
Mrs.  Probert,  "but  won't  the  morning  do  just 
as  well?  I  hate  to  have  you  go  up  there  in  the 
dark. ' ' 

"No,"  replied  Ben,  with  the  decisiveness 
which  characterized  him  when  once  his  mind 
was  made  up ;  "he  ought  to  know  it  to-night,  so 


36  THE  CRUISE  OF  THE  FIREFLY 

as  to  have  time  for  offsetting  those  fellows.  I 
shall  get  along  all  right. ' ' 

His  mother  remonstrated  no  further,  but 
looked  anxiously  after  him  until  he  disappeared 
up  the  street. 

It  was  quite  a  distance  to  the  village,  and 
nearly  as  far  out  on  the  opposite  side  to  the 
Institute.  There  was  also  the  high  hill  to  climb, 
but  Ben  hobbled  slowly  along,  and  in  a  little 
less  than  an  hour  had  reached  his  destination. 

Of  the  janitor,  whom  he  found  in  the  main 
corridor  of  the  dormitory,  he  inquired  for 
Harry  Wallace,  and  was  kindly  told : 

"He  rooms  on  the  third  floor  of  the  west  di- 
vision, but  it  will  be  too  much  for  you  to  climb 
up  two  pairs  of  stairs  to  him;  wait  a  moment 
and  I  will  send  him  down  to  you. ' ' 

The  hour  from  seven  to  eight  in  the  evening 
was  given  the  students  at  the  Institute  for  social 
visiting,  and  Harry  was  therefore  at  liberty  to 
respond  to  the  janitor's  call.  Leaving  the 
members  of  his  boat-crew,  who  were  all  gath- 
ered in  his  room  eagerly  discussing  the  race  of 
the  next  day,  and  the  jolly  trip  in  prospect  if 
they  were  only  victorious,  he  went  down  to  the 
outer  door  to  meet  the  waiting  Ben. 

"Good  evening, "  he  said  cordially,  and  of- 
fering his  hand  to  the  cripple  boy;  "the  janitor 


THE  RACE  37 

says  you  have  something  special  to  tell  me." 

"Yes,"  Ben  replied,  shaking  the  extended 
hand  heartily;  "but  I  must  see  you  alone,  and 
where  we  will  not  be  overheard."  Then  no- 
ticing Harry's  surprised  look,  he  continued  in 
a  low  tone:     "It  is  about  the  race  to-morrow." 

"Wait  a  moment,"  Harry  promptly  replied; 
"my  room  is  too  far  up  for  you  to  climb  there, 
and  then  it  is  full  of  the  fellows ;  but  I  '11  find  a 
place. ' ' 

The  janitor,  who  had  descended  with  Harry 
to  the  lower  hall,  was  still  within  call,  and 
Harry  hurried  over  to  him  and  consulted  with 
him  a  brief  time  in  low  tones. 

Then  he  returned  with  the  man  to  Ben,  say- 
ing: 

"The  janitor  will  let  us  into  one  of  the  class- 
rooms in  the  next  building,  where  we  can  talk 
undisturbed." 

Three  minutes  thereafter  the  two  boys  were 
alone,  and  Ben  quickly  told  his  story.  If  Harry 
was  surprised  at  the  revelation,  he  gave  no  evi- 
dence of  it ;  perhaps  it  was  nothing  more  than 
he  expected  of  his  opponents.  Whistling  softly 
to  himself  for  a  few  moments  after  Ben  had 
finished  his  tale,  as  though  in  deep  thought,  he 
then  said : 

"I  can  take  care  of  Howard  and  his  boat,  and 


38  THE  CRUISE  OF  THE  FIREFLY 

now,  that  I  know  of  his  purpose,  I  don't  care 
the  snap  of  my  fingers  for  all  the  fouling  with 
us  he  may  do;  but  I  should  like  to  have  those 
stakes  taken  out  of  the  reedy  passage.  You  see 
if  we  don't  go  through  there  now,  the  other 
crew  will  at  once  suspect  we  have  discovered 
this  plot,  and  I'd  rather  they  wouldn't  have  any 
such  idea.  I  want  it  to  look  just  as  though  we 
knew  nothing  of  their  intentions,  and  whatever 
takes  place  to-morrow  was  but  a  natural  mis- 
carriage of  their  plans. ' ' 

"I  see,"  responded  Ben,  with  quick  intuition 
grasping  his  friend's  arrangement  for  thwart- 
ing the  whole  plot,  "and  I'll  fix  it  about  those 
stakes.  You  can  go  through  there  all  right  to- 
morrow; they  sha'n't  be  in  your  way." 

"But  it  is  too  much  to  ask  you  to  take  them 
out, ' '  protested  Harry,  glancing  unintentionally 
perhaps  at  Ben's  crippled  form. 

"No,  it  isn't,"  the  boy  resolutely  declared; 
"I'm  as  strong  in  my  arms  as  any  one,  and  I'll 
tell  you  how  I'll  manage  it.  I'm  out  at  three 
or  four  o'clock  very  often  to  fish  with  the  in- 
coming tide,  and  off  Long  Bar  is  a  bang-up  place 
to  catch  scup.  I'll  go  up  there  in  the  morning 
before  light  for  that  purpose,  and  passing 
through  the  reeds  I'll  pull  the  stakes  up.  If 
I'm  seen  up  there  by  any  one  he  won't  think 


THE  RACE  39 

anything  about  it,  while  if  one  of  you  Institute 
fellows  was  off  there  'twould  give  the  whole 
thing  away. ' ' 

"Very  well,  and  you  shall  lose  nothing  by  do- 
ing that  work,  or  for  coming  up  here  to-night 
to  tell  me  of  this  matter.  But  how  shall  I  know 
sure  that  you  have  succeeded  in  getting  the 
sticks  out  of  the  way?  It  won't  do  to  run  any 
risk,  you  know." 

"Of  course  not,"  answered  Ben  promptly; 
"and  we'll  fix  that.  I  will  be  sitting  on  the 
bank  a  few  rods  below  the  passage,  and  if  I  take 
off  my  hat  and  swing  it  when  I  cheer  you  on, 
you  can  know  it  is  all  right  for  you  to  go 
through.  But  if  I  swing  only  my  hand  you  can 
know  I  have  failed.  Please  don't  say  anything 
about  paying  me,  however,  for  my  coming  up 
here  or  doing  the  other  work,  for  I'd  do  ten 
times  as  much  any  time  to  help  you  out,"  and 
the  look  he  gave  his  companion  showed  that  his 
heart  was  in  his  words. 

Wallace  understood  the  boy,  and  with  a 
hearty  shake  of  the  hands,  and  many  profuse 
thanks  for  the  kindness  shown  him,  he  accom- 
panied him  to  the  outer  gate  of  the  institution 
grounds,  where  they  parted. 

The  next  day  proved  to  be  bright  and  clear 
— all  that  could  be  asked  for  in  the  matter  of 


40  THE  CRUISE  OF  THE  FIREFLY 

weather.  A  large  crowd  had  collected  at  the 
starting  place  when  the  appointed  hour  came, 
and  as  the  shells  reached  their  positions,  wild 
cheers  rang  on  the  air. 

Their  places  were  decided  by  lot,  the  High 
School  crew  getting  the  inside,  that  is  the  right 
berth,  and  thus  having  the  advantage  so  far  as 
position  could  give  it. 

The  signal  to  start  was  a  pistol  shot,  and  as 
the  sharp  report  rang  out  like  so  many  flashes 
of  light,  the  oars  dipped,  and  away  sped  the 
boats  on  the  three  mile  race. 

Cheer  after  cheer  came  from  the  spectators 
as  the  rivals  shot  up  the  stream  neck  to  neck. 

"Well  mated  !"  cried  one  of  the  crowd. 

"The  M.  V.  I.'s  are  gaining !"  shouted  an- 
other. 

"Hurrah  for  the  M.  H.  S.  crew!"  hallooed 
a  third. 

"Rah !  Rah !  Rah ! ' '  sang  out  the  cheers  of  the 
Institute  boys. 

So  the  exclamations  went  the  rounds,  while 
the  rowers  bent  every  energy  to  their  task. 
They  were  for  a  time  well  matched,  but  the  first 
bend  of  the  river  sent  the  M.  V.  I.  shell  a  half 
length  ahead,  and  the  channel  through  the  reeds 
was  now  at  hand. 

"Wallace's  quick  eye  scanned  the  right  bank 


THE  RACE  41 

of  the  stream.  True  to  his  promise  Cripple 
Ben  is  seated  on  the  summit  just  opposite,  and 
now  he  takes  off  his  hat  and  swings  it  high 
above  his  head.  '  <  Hurrah !  for  the  M.  V.  I.  's ! ' ' 
he  cries,  and  then  his  hat  swings  more  fran- 
tically than  ever. 

"The  passage  is  clear,"  Harry  says  in  low 
but  distinct  tones  to  his  crew ;  then  he  gives  the 
command: — "On,  boys,  on!"  and  with  bent 
backs  and  steady  stroke  the  shell  shoots  among 
the  reeds. 

From  his  position  in  the  boat  Wallace  sees, 
both  by  the  looks  and  by  a  certain  hesitancy  on 
the  part  of  his  rivals,  that  they  are  expecting 
each  moment  to  see  his  shell  crash  upon  a  hid- 
den stake;  but  in  this,  thanks  to  Cripple  Ben's 
faithful  work  early  that  morning  (though  they 
of  course  knew  nothing  of  that),  they  are  dis- 
appointed. 

Amid  prolonged  cheers  from  the  spectators, 
the  Institute  boat  re-appears  a  moment  later 
from  the  rank  growth,  and  shoots  into  the  main 
channel  a  full  length  ahead  of  the  other. 

Then  the  race  becomes  thrilling.  Never  had 
the  Melrose,  the  scene  of  many  a  trial  of  oars, 
witnessed  the  equal  of  that  day's  work. 

From  the  reedy  channel  to  Long  Bar  there 
was  no  perceptible  change  in  the  relative  posi- 


42  THE  CRUISE  OF  THE  FIREFLY 

tion  of  the  racers.  The  M.  V.  I.  's  held  all  they 
had  gained  at  the  marsh,  but  not  a  single  inch 
did  they  add  to  it.  Yet  all  they  had  really  to  do 
was  to  maintain  that  to  the  end. 

At  this  stirring  moment  the  Bar  was  reached, 
and  around  its  island  end  the  greatest  curve  of 
the  course  must  be  made.  Here  was  the  oppor- 
tunity for  the  M.  H.  S.  crew  to  regain  their  lost 
ground,  and  as  though  they  realized  it  they 
leaped  on  with  a  tremendous  spurt. 

The  next  instant  a  warning  cry  came  from 
the  knot  of  eye  witnesses  on  the  adjacent  bank, 
and  Wallace  scarcely  needed  to  look  over  his 
shoulder  to  be  told  what  it  meant.  A  single 
shell  was  shooting  around  the  bend,  and  came 
directly  into  the  course  of  the  M.  V.  I.  shell. 

It  contained  but  one  occupant — Jack  How- 
ard. As  if  anticipating  the  inevitable  collision, 
he  seemingly  strove  energetically  to  sheer  off, 
though  in  reality  getting  more  and  more  in  the 
way. 

The  supreme  moment  of  the  race  had  come, 
and  it  was  well  for  Harry  that  he  was  prepared 
for  it.  A  quick  turn  of  his  foot  upon  the  rud- 
der brakes  headed  his  shell  directly  for  the 
lighter  craft,  and  loud  and  clear  rang  out  his 
command  to  his  comrades : 

"Now  boys,  together,  pull!" 


"Hurrah,  the  passage  is  clear. : 


THE  RACE  43 

His  crew  prepared  for  the  emergency,  also 
responded  with  a  precision  as  perfect  as  though 
but  one  man,  and  under  all  the  strength  of  their 
united  arms  the  boat  bounded  straight  across 
the  track  to  strike  the  intruder  upon  her  star- 
board quarter. 


CHAPTER  V 

CRIPPLE  BEN'S  INVITATION 

SO  GREAT  was  the  shock  to  the  lighter  craft, 
that  it  was  tossed  to  one  side  with  a  force 
that  pitched  Howard  head  foremost  into 
the  river,  while  the  shell,  amid  a  storm  of  cheers 
from  the  students  on  the  bank,  regained  its 
proper  course. 

The  maneuvre,  well  as  it  was  executed,  cost 
the  M.  V.  I.  crew  dear,  however,  for  their  cap- 
tain's oar  as  he  swept  by  the  overturned  boat 
fouled  with  it,  and  snapped  it  in  two. 

"We  are  lost!"  cried  Tom  Sexsmith,  as  he 
saw  the  other  shell  now  shoot  alongside  of  them. 

"No  we  are  not!"  rang  out  Harry  Wallace's 
voice. ' '  Pull,  men,  pull !  we  shall  beat  them  yet ! ' ' 

Before  the  words  had  left  his  mouth,  he  had 
dropped  the  handle  of  his  broken  oar,  and 
caught  the  blade ;  and  now  he  began  to  paddle 
vigorously  with  it,  keeping  time  to  his  com- 
rade's strokes. 

Inspired  by  his  act,  his  crew  bent  to  their 
work  with  new  energy,  and  down  the  last  half 

44 


CRIPPLE  BEN'S  INVITATION  45 

mile  of  the  course  the  two  boats  dashed  again, 
bow  to  bow. 

When  within  a  quarter  of  a  mile  of  the  stake 
they  were  still  side  by  side,  and  Harry,  growing 
desperate,  cried  out : 

i  i  This  will  never  do,  boys !  Push  her  ahead ; 
we  mustn't  lose  our  camping  trip !"  and  then  he 
redoubled  his  own  efforts. 

His  companions  with  a  shout  responded  to 
his  call,  and  slowly  their  shell  drew  away  from 
the  other.  Soon  it  was  a  full  length  in  advance, 
and  no  efforts  of  their  opponents  could  reduce 
that  distance. 

Then  amid  the  "rah-rahs"  of  the  Institute 
boys,  who  had  followed  along  the  bank  to  the 
finish,  it  crossed  the  line,  and  two  sharp  cracks 
of  a  pistol  declared  it  victor. 

"I  wonder  how  Jack  Howard  got  out  of  his 
scrape?  With  nothing  worse  than  a  ducking, 
I  hope,"  remarked  Wallace,  as  he  and  his  crew 
shipped  their  oars,  and  wiped  the  perspiration 
from  their  foreheads. 

"You  seem  to  have  a  faculty  for  throwing 
him  into  the  river,"  replied  Bob  Hunt  with  a 
laugh;  "but  he  is  all  right.  There  he  is  down 
on  the  island  end  of  Long  Bar,  waiting  for  some 
one  to  come  and  take  him  off." 

i '  That  was  a  mean  trick, ' '  cried  Reed  Jones 


46  THE  CRUISE  OF  THE  FIREFLY 

savagely,  for  his  boat  had  floated  near  enough 
to  the  other  for  hirn  to  overhear  this  conversa- 
tion. 

4' Well,  perhaps  so,"  answered  Wallace 
calmly,  looking  the  speaker  straight  in  the  eyes ; 
"but  it  isn't  so  contemptible  as  putting  sunken 
stakes  in  the  marshy  passage,  or  getting  m  the 
course  of  the  shells  on  purpose.' ' 

"What's  that?"  asked  one  of  the  judges, 
whose  quick  ear  had  caught  the  drift  of  these 
words.  "Do  you  mean  to  say  Howard  got  in 
your  track  purposely!" 

"  Oh !  I  Ve  nothing  to  complain  of, ' '  replied 
Harry  with  a  laugh.  ' '  Reed  here  can  make  any 
explanation  he  chooses." 

But  evidently  Jones  had  no  explanation  to 
offer,  for  without  a  word  he  motioned  his  crew 
to  dip  their  oars,  and  pull  for  their  boat-house. 

The  judges  now  called  Harry  alongside  and 
requested  him  to  tell  them  what  he  had  meant, 
but  with  the  simple  remark  that  he  had  known 
of  and  been  on  the  look-out  for  Jack  Howard's 
appearance  off  the  Bar,  he  gave  the  word  for  his 
crew  to  pull  in  shore. 

Here  he  and  his  comrades  were  received  by 
Dr.  Randall,  Mr.  Wallace,  and  a  host  of  other 
friends,  all  of  whom  extended  their  heartiest 
congratulations   on  the  victory  achieved,  and 


CRIPPLE  BEN'S  INVITATION  47 

then  the  whole  body  of  students  formed  them- 
selves into  an  escort,  and  led  the  victors  up  the 
hill  to  the  Institute. 

Here  to  their  surprise  they  were  informed 
that  a  banquet  had  been  arranged  for  them,  and 
they  hastened  to  their  rooms  to  dress  for  it. 

An  hour  or  two  later  they  were  conducted  into 
the  large  dining-hall,  which  was  trimmed  with 
flowers  and  draped  with  flags  for  the  feast ;  and 
conspicuous  among  the  banners  were  two,  one 
at  the  upper  and  one  at  the  lower  end  of  the 
table  where  the  victorious  crew  were  seated, 
made  of  crimson  silk.  On  one,  wrought  in  gold, 
were  two  shells  with  their  crews  bent  to  the 
oars,  and  underneath  the  letters:  "M.  V.  I.  vs. 
M.  H.  S."  On  the  other  was  a  pair  of  golden 
oars  crossed,  and  between  the  upright  blades 
the  word,  " Victory,"  while  between  the  spread- 
ing handles  was  the  date  of  the  race. 

When  the  supper  was  over  Mr.  Wallace  arose, 
and  in  behalf  of  the  many  friends  of  the  Insti- 
tute presented  these  banners  to  the  victorious 
crew,  and  through  them  to  the  seat  of  learning 
itself,  to  be  sacredly  preserved  as  souvenirs  of 
the  memorable  victory. 

"My,  if  we  could  only  carry  them  along  with 
us  to  the  camp,"  whispered  Tom  Sexsmith  to 


48  THE  CRUISE  OF  THE  FIREFLY 

Harry,  who  sat  beside  him,  "wouldn't  they  look 
fine  floating  above  the  tent?" 

Low  as  his  whisper  was  it  was  heard  by  Dr. 
Eandall  opposite,  who  after  a  hurried  conversa- 
tion with  Mr.  Wallace  in  suppressed  tones, 
arose  to  respond  to  that  gentleman's  presenta- 
tion speech. 

In  behalf  of  the  crew  and  the  Institute  he  ac- 
cepted the  beautiful  gift  with  thanks,  conclud- 
ing: 

"I  am  informed  that  the  boat-club  through 
the  liberality  of  a  gentleman  present  here  to- 
night is  to  spend  a  few  days  of  their  coming  va- 
cation in  camping  out,  and  am  instructed  by 
the  donors  of  the  banners  to  say  that  the  lads 
have  fairly  won  the  right  to  carry  the  emblems 
of  their  victory  with  them  on  their  trip.  We 
only  stipulate  that  they  shall  return  them  to  the 
Institute  in  the  fall,  not  merely  so  far  as  pos- 
sible unsullied  by  the  stains  of  the  weather,  but, 
what  is  far  more  important,  unstained  by  a  sin- 
gle ignoble  deed  in  the  camp  over  which  they 
are  to  wave." 

"Hurrah!"  cried  the  irrepressible  Tom,  and 
his  cheer  was  caught  up  and  carried  around  the 
hall  with  wild  enthusiasm. 

"Come  around  to  my  room  on  Monday  at 
recreation  hours  and  we'll  talk  up  our  trip," 


CRIPPLE  BEN'S  INVITATION  49 

Harry  said  to  his  companions  as  they  parted 
for  the  night. 

True  to  the  appointment  the  lads  appeared, 
and  all  were  soon  busy  discussing  the  place 
where  they  should  go. 

"As  we  are  to  be  Harry's  guests,  I  move  he 
choose  the  place,"  said  Frank  Reynolds,  a  quiet 
and  thoroughly  sensible  lad  of  seventeen. 

"I  second  that  motion,  but  I  do  hope  it  will 
be  somewhere  among  the  lakes  of  Maine, ' '  added 
Ed  Willis,  another  of  the  crew. 

"There's  lots  more  fun  to  be  found  farther 
up,  and  we'll  be  less  likely  to  be  disturbed  by 
other  campers,"  remarked  Fred  Williams. 

"Where  do  you  mean,  Fred?"  asked  several. 

"I  had  a  friend  who  was  up  in  Nova  Scotia 
last  Summer,"  he  explained,  "but  I  don't  just 
remember  the  locality.  I  know  however  you 
could  get  there  in  a  sail-boat,  and  there  were 
lakes,  and  gunning  and  fishing  enough  to  suit 
any  of  us.  I'll  find  out  where  it  was,  and  let 
you  know  before  the  examinations  are  over." 

"I  call  for  the  motion,"  interrupted  Rob 
Hunt,  ' '  Harry  is  the  one  to  decide,  and  I  'm  will- 
ing to  leave  it  all  to  him." 

"So  say  we  all  of  us,"  joined  in  Tom  Sex- 
smith,  turning  a  somersault  in  front  of  Harry, 
and  then  bowing  low  before  him. 

4 


50  THE  CRUISE  OF  THE  FIREFLY 

"I'm  ready  to  leave  the  place  to  the  rest  of 
you, ' '  said  Harry,  speaking  himself  for  the  first 
time,  "but  before  you  decide  that,  I'd  like  to 
make  a  proposition  on  which  that  may  some- 
what depend,  but  I  hope  you'll  fall  in  with  it  all 
the  same." 

1 6  Of  course  we  will,  fire  away, ' '  promptly  re- 
sponded all. 

"Well,"  continued  their  captain  with  some 
show  of  hesitancy,  as  though  he,  notwithstand- 
ing their  assurances,  feared  his  suggestion 
might  not  be  welcomed  by  them ;  ' '  you  all  know 
to  whom  we  largely  owe  our  victory,  and  so 
indirectly  this  trip — " 

"Cripple  Ben,"  they  all  answered. 

"What  do  you  say  then  to  our  inviting  him 
to  go  along  with  us,  and  making  it  the  jolliest 
Summer  he  ever  saw?"  and  Harry  gazed  anx- 
iously at  his  comrades. 

"Hurrah!" 

"Good  for  you,  Harry!" 

"We'll  do  it!" 

These  were  the  exclamations  which  to  his  de- 
light now  greeted  him. 

"Then  wherever  we  go,"  he  continued,  "we 
shall  want  to  choose  a  place  where  he  can  read- 
ily go  with  us." 

"Of  course,"  they  assented. 


CRIPPLE  BEN'S  INVITATION  51 

"Let  us  leave  the  place  then  until  Harry  has 
seen  Ben,  and  found  out  whether  he  will  go," 
suggested  Torn  Sexsniith  who,  notwithstanding 
his  drollery,  was  as  thoughtful  a  boy  as  there 
was  in  the  crew. 

This  suggestion  was  unanimously  accepted  by 
the  club,  and  a  formal  vote  was  passed  instruct- 
ing Harry  as  their  representative  to  carry  the 
invitation  to  the  lame  lad. 

The  following  evening  therefore  he  obtained 
a  leave  of  absence  from  the  school,  and  went 
down  to  the  little  cabin  at  Old  Field  Point.  He 
found  Ben  and  his  mother  sitting  just  without 
the  door  and  after  talking  with  them  a  few  min- 
utes about  the  race,  made  known  his  special  er- 
rand down  there. 

Ben's  eyes  danced  with  delight,  as  the  invita- 
tion was  given  him,  and  he  looked  first  at  Harry, 
then  at  his  mother,  hardly  knowing  what  to  say. 

"I'm  afraid  Ben  couldn't  stand  camping 
out,"  said  Mrs.  Probert  apprehensively,  still 
secretly  pleased  at  the  invitation  so  cordially 
given  her  boy. 

"  Oh !  I  could  stand  that  well  enough, ' '  put  in 
Ben.  "I  wouldn't  have  any  rougher  time  than 
I  sometimes  do  on  the  river;  but  I'm  afraid," 
— he  was  on  the  point  of  saying  he  was  not  a  fit 
companion  for  the  others,  but  with  Harry's  eyes 


52  THE  CRUISE  OF  THE  FIREFLY 

full  upon  him  he  changed  it  to — ' '  I  should  make 
you  fellows  lots  of  trouble." 

"If  you  had  seen  the  boys  and  heard  their 
hearty  expressions  when  they  voted  for  this 
invitation  to  be  given  you,  you  wouldn't  think 
of  that, ' '  replied  Harry,  reproachfully ;  then  he 
went  on  to  explain  that  they  were  not  going 
anywhere  Ben  could  not  go,  and  the  tent  they 
were  going  to  use  was  waterproof.  "Of 
course,"  he  added,  "some  of  our  hunting  ex- 
cursions will  be  too  much  for  you,  but  there  will 
be  fishing  and  hunting  near  camp  that  you  can 
engage  in,  and  the  change  will  do  you  good. ' ' 

Noticing  Ben  still  hesitating,  he  shrewdly  di- 
vined the  cause,  and  continued  with  a  marked 
delicacy  of  feeling:  "You  understand  we  all 
go  on  this  trip  on  exactly  the  same  terms ;  father 
pays  the  bills.  "When  he  heard  of  the  favor  you 
had  rendered  he  specified  that  you  just  as  much 
as  the  rest  of  us  were  to  be  included  among 
those  who  were  to  go ;  and  every  one  of  the  boys, 
without  knowing  father  had  done  this,  enthusi- 
astically voted  to  have  you  accompany  us. ' ' 

"Where  will  you  go?"  asked  Mrs.  Probert, 
growing  more  favorable  to  the  plan. 

"We  have  not  decided  fully,  but  very  likely 
somewhere  up  in  Maine  or  Nova  Scotia,"  an- 
swered Wallace. 


CRIPPLE  BEN'S  INVITATION  53 

"Wasn't  it  the  latter  place  you  went  with 
your  father  once,  Ben ! ' '  inquired  Mrs.  Probert. 

' '  Yes, ' '  he  replied,  and  then  in  explanation  to 
Harry's  inquiring  look  he  went  on: 

"It  was  the  voyage  before  the  one  on  which 
father  was  lost.  I  had  gone  with  him  up  to 
the  banks,  and  during  the  trip  he  had  some 
business  that  called  him  into  Annapolis,  Nova 
Scotia.  We  left  the  smack  there,  and  went  on 
up  the  river  a  long  distance  till  we  came  to  a 
branch  that  took  us  off  into  the  South  Moun- 
tains." 

"After  going  up  that  stream  twenty  miles  or 
more,  we  came  to  some  falls,  where  we  camped. 
Above  the  falls  was  a  beautiful  lake  full  of  is- 
lands, and  such  fishing  as  was  there  I  never 
saw  before." 

Mrs.  Probert  at  this  point  arose  and  entered 
the  house  for  some  purpose,  but  Ben  as  though 
there  had  been  no  interruption  kept  on  with  his 
story : 

"Why  I  caught  trout  there  that  weighed  four 
and  five  pounds  apiece,  and  as  for  bass  and 
perch  and  pike  there  was  no  end  to  them. 
Father  was  off  in  the  woods  gunning  most  of 
the  time,  and  I  remember  he  shot  a  bear,  and  a 
deer,  besides  lots  of  smaller  game.     I  tell  you 


54  THE  CRUISE  OF  THE  FIREFLY 

if  you  could  go  to  such  a  place  as  that  it  would 
be  worth  something. ' ' 

"Why  can't  we?"  asked  Harry,  catching 
something  of  Ben's  own  enthusiasm.  "Couldn't 
you  lead  us  there?" 

"Yes,  only  get  me  to  Annapolis  and  I'll  agree 
to  put  you  right  alongside  of  that  lake,"  re- 
sponded Ben;  then  musingly:  "I've  often  won- 
dered what  father's  business  was  up  there.  He 
took  no  one  with  him  but  me,  and  seemed  awful 
disappointed  about  something  when  he  came 
away.     Perhaps  mother  could  tell." 

Harry  rose  now  to  go,  for  he  had  at  his  com- 
ing been  given  a  chair  beside  Ben. 

"Well,  you'll  go  then,  Ben,  and  if  the  boys 
should  so  decide  will  show  us  to  the  place  you 
speak  of?" 

"I  think  so,"  he  replied  looking  inquiringly 
at  his  mother  who  now  reappeared  at  the  door. 
"You  might  now  shut  up  the  house,  and  make 
that  visit  up  to  Northtown  you  have  wanted  to 
for  so  long,"  he  went  on  speaking  to  her. 
"That  change  would  do  you  as  much  good  as 
this  excursion  will  me." 

Mrs.  Probert  finding  his  heart  was  set  upon 
the  trip,  finally  gave  her  consent,  and  with  a 
promise  to  let  Ben  know  the  full  arrangements 


CRIPPLE  BEN'S  INVITATION  55 

as  soon  as  they  were  completed,  Harry  bade  him 
good-night,  and  hurried  away. 

As  he  turned  the  corner  of  the  house  Ben 
called  out: 

"If  the  fellows  wish  I'll  come  up  and  tell 
them  more  about  that  place  in  Nova  Scotia. ' ' 

UA11  right,"  answered  Wallace,  pausing  an 
instant  to  catch  the  boy's  words  and  to  make 
his  response. 

Brief  as  the  stop  was  it  prevented  him  from 
catching  sight  of  a  lad,  who  just  then  sprang  to 
his  feet  around  the  corner,  where  he  had  been 
listening  to  the  prolonged  conversation  with 
Ben,  and  scurried  off  through  the  darkness  to- 
wards the  village. 


CHAPTER  VI 

FURTHER  PLOTTING 

THE  fleeing  boy  kept  on  the  run  until  lie  had 
reached  the  main  street ;  then  he  dropped 
down  to  a  rapid  walk,  still  proceeding, 
however,  toward  the  centre  of  the  town. 

When  nearly  opposite  the  post-office  a  hand 
was  suddenly  laid  upon  his  shoulder  from  be- 
hind, and  a  voice  said : 

"Say,  Jack,  what's  your  hurry?" 

"This  is  luck,"  the  lad  addressed  immedi- 
ately answered,  and  came  to  a  standstill;  "I 
was  going  to  look  you  up,  Reed. ' ' 

"And  I  was  already  looking  for  you.  I've 
made  a  discovery,"  his  friend  responded. 

"It  can't  be  a  bigger  one  than  I've  made; 
but  out  with  it." 

"Not  here,"  replied  the  first  speaker  in  low 
tones;  "come  around  to  father's  office.  He's 
out,  but  I've  got  a  key,  and  we  can  go  in  there 
and  talk  without  being  overheard." 

"Growing  cautious,  hey,  Reed?  it's  a  pity  we 
hadn't  been  more  so  that  afternoon  down  by  the 

56 


FURTHER  PLOTTING  57 

river.  There's  where  we  gave  ourselves 
away. ' ' 

i 'To  Cripple  Ben!"  a  flood  of  light  breaking 
in  upon  him. 

' 'Yes;  I've  found  that  out  and  more  too,"  re- 
plied Jack,  almost  in  a  whisper;  "but  let's  get 
around  to  the  office." 

This  conversation  had  not  consumed  more 
than  two  minutes,  and  the  two  friends  turned  an 
adjacent  corner  just  before  Harry  Wallace  on 
his  way  to  the  Institute  passed  by. 

Entering  the  main  door  of  a  large  block,  they 
ascended  the  stairs  to  the  second  floor.  At  the 
door  of  a  room  which  bore  the  placard — 

"HENRY  JONES, 

"Attorney  and  Counselor-at-Law," 

they  paused,  and  Reed  producing  a  key  un- 
locked it,  and  they  entered. 

Securing  the  door  after  them,  they  lighted  a 
lamp,  pulled  down  the  window  shades,  and  then 
seated  themselves  on  chairs  at  opposite  sides 
of  the  office  desk. 

"You  remember,"  began  Reed,  "how  I  told 
you  that  I  heard  Harry  Wallace  urge  his  crew 
on  to  that  last  spurt  which  gave  them  the  vie- 


58  THE  CRUISE  OF  THE  FIREFLY 

tory  Saturday  by  saying,  'We  mustn't  lose  our 
trip,  boys ! '  " 

"Yes,"  his  comrade  assented. 

"'Well,  I  ran  in  with  Peter  Haskill  tonight. 
We've  always  been  pretty  good  friends,  if  he 
is  an  M.  V.  I.,  and  I  pumped  him  about  the 
banquet  they  had  up  there  at  the  institution 
Saturday  evening.  He  got  warmed  up  as  he 
described  the  affair,  and  soon  gave  me  the 
points  I  was  after  without  a  single  leading  ques- 
tion from  me. ' ' 

"I  guess  you  and  I  are  running  on  the  same 
track,  after  all, ' '  put  in  Jack  at  this  moment. 

"You'll  soon  know,"  answered  Reed,  and 
continuing  his  story : 

"It  seems  Wallace's  father  is  to  pay  all  the 
bills  of  the  boat-club  to  camp  out  this  Summer, 
and  they  are  going  off  somewhere  up  north  as 
soon  as  the  school-term  is  over.  A  pair  of  silk 
banners  commemorating  their  victory  over  us 
has  been  given  them,  and  they  intend  to  carry 
them  along  and  fly  them  from  the  tent  in  great 
style.  On  their  return  the  flags  are  to  be  put 
in  the  Institute  library  as  souvenirs  of  the 
race. ' ' 

"And  what  do  you  propose  to  do?"  asked 
Jack  curiously,  knowing  by  his  companion's  ap- 


FURTHER  PLOTTING  59 

pearance  some  plan  was  already  forming  in 
his  mind. 

"Find  out  where  they  are  going,  and  get 
those  banners/ '  Eeed  replied  in  some  bitter- 
ness. "I  don't  propose  to  have  them  stuck  up 
there  at  the  Institute  for  every  new  class  to 
crow  over." 

"Then  youVe  got  some  distance  to  go,"  re- 
marked Jack  with  emphasis;  "for  I've  not  only 
found  out  all  you  have,  except  about  those  ban- 
ners, but  a  great  deal  more.    Listen!" 

And  he  then  told  his  comrade  in  detail  the 
conversation  he  had  overheard  down  at  Crip- 
ple Ben's. 

"That  will  help  us  some,"  remarked  Eeed 
complacently  when  Jack  had  finished;  "all  we 
want  to  know  now  is  the  place  they  finally  de- 
cide upon  for  their  camp,  and  we  can  follow 
them  and  put  a  spice  into  their  camp-life  they 
do  not  look  for.  But  how  came  you  down  to 
Old  Field  Point  to-night?" 

"I  went  there  on  purpose,"  Jack  answered. 
"You  see  the  moment  I  saw  Wallace's  boat  head 
for  me  Saturday,  I  not  only  knew  I  was  fated 
for  another  ducking  at  his  hands,  but  suspected 
that  he  had  in  some  way  found  out  our  plans. 
When  Dick  Travers  came  over  to  take  me  off  the 
Bar,  therefore,  I  got  him  to  drop  down  through 


60  THE  CRUISE  OF  THE  FIREFLY 

the  reedy  passage,  and,  finding  the  stakes  were 
gone,  I  was  then  sure  of  it. 

"That  night  I  ran  in  with  the  janitor  of  the 
Institute,  and  found  out  from  him  that  Cripple 
Ben  was  up  there  to  see  Wallace  Friday  night, 
and  so  caught  on  directly.  I  have  kept  my  eyes 
open  ever  since,  and  when  Harry  went  down  to 
the  Point  this  evening  I  was  right  behind  him; 
and  creeping  up  to  the  corner  of  the  shanty  I 
heard  their  whole  talk,  and  liked  to  have  got 
caught  in  the  bargain, ' '  and  he  laughed  heartily 
at  the  thought. 

"How  was  that?"  asked  Eeed  sharply. 

"Why,"  explained  Jack,  "I  was  so  anxious 
to  catch  their  last  words  I  stayed  a  little  too 
long,  and  Wallace  almost  turned  the  corner 
upon  me.  But  Ben  did  me  a  good  turn  by  stop- 
ping him  a  moment  with  another  remark,  and  I 
dug  out  the  best  I  knew. ' ' 

"You  are  sure  he  didn't  see  you?"  asked 
Jones  anxiously. 

"Dead  sure,"  replied  Howard. 

"Well,  we  must  now  meet  the  other  boys,  and 
make  our  preparations  so  as  to  be  off  as  soon 
as  the  other  crew ;  a  little  sooner  would  be  bet- 
ter yet." 

"Do  you  think  they  will  go?"  asked  Jack 
with  a  marked  glow  of  interest. 


FURTHER  PLOTTING  61 

"You  can  count  on  them  all  but  Charlie  Ash- 
away,  "  was  the  reply.  "He  was  wrathy 
enough  when  he  found  out  the  tricks  we  tried  to 
play  on  the  other  crew.  You  see  we  had  kept  it 
from  him  until  Harry  Wallace  threw  it  in  our 
faces  after  the  race,  and  then  he  declared  he'd 
have  nothing  more  to  do  with  us.  We  will  book 
you  in  his  place,  and  that  will  make  us  even 
six." 

"I'd  like  to  go  well  enough,  but  where  are 
the  rocks  to  come  from?"  asked  Howard  gloom- 
ily. "I'm  dead  broke,  and  there  is  no  use  ask- 
ing father  for  it." 

"I've  taken  the  expense  into  account,"  an- 
swered Reed  promptly.  "Bill  Dunster  has  a  tent 
large  enough  for  our  use,  and  as  for  guns  and 
rods  we  are  all  pretty  well  supplied  with  those, 
so  the  only  cost  to  us  will  be  fares  and  pro- 
visions. Of  course,  if  we  have  to  go  up  to 
Nova  Scotia  it  will  come  to  a  good  stiff  figure, 
but  by  lumping  our  funds  we  can,  I  guess,  make 
out  enough  for  the  trip,  though  we  sha'n't  be 
able  to  go  in  the  shape  the  other  fellows  will. 
I  can  rake  out  enough  for  you,  Jack,  and  the 
other  boys  needn't  know  but  what  you  have 
chipped  in  your  part. ' ' 

"You  can  count  on  me  sure,  then,"  said 
Howard,  regaining  his  usual  spirits ;  as  long  as 


62  THE  CRUISE  OF  THE  FIREFLY 

his  expenses  were  paid  and  he  could  go,  he 
didn  't  care  where  the  money  came  from. 

After  a  little  further  conversation  the  two 
plotters  separated ;  one  to  see  and  talk  over  his 
new  plan  with  four  of  his  crew,  the  other  to 
keep  watch  of  Cripple  Ben  and  Harry  Wallace, 
and  ascertain  if  possible  the  exact  locality 
where  they  would  make  their  camp. 

A  week  later  the  six  cronies  were  together  in 
the  same  office.  Howard  was  able  to  report 
the  very  stream  among  the  South  Mountains  in 
Nova  Scotia  where  the  other  crew  had  decided 
to  go ;  and  having  now  in  their  possession  the 
only  information  lacking  to  complete  their  ar- 
rangements, Eeed  and  his  gang  were  soon  in 
readiness  to  slip  off  the  moment  any  action  on 
the  part  of  their  rivals  warranted  such  a  move. 


CHAPTER  VII 

CAUGHT  IN  A  GALE 

IN  THE  meantime,  utterly  unaware  of  the 
plans  of  the  High  School  Boat-Club,  the 
M.  V.  I.  crew  pushed  rapidly  forward  the 
preparations  for  their  own  departure.  At  their 
request,  Cripple  Ben  again  visited  the  Institute, 
and  his  glowing  description  of  the  lake  in  Nova 
Scotia  that  he  had  previously  visited  led  them 
to  vote  unanimously  for  that  place  as  their 
camping  ground. 

Mr.  Wallace  was  immediately  notified  of  their 
decision,  and  he  forwarded  by  steamer  to  Hali- 
fax and  thence  by  rail  to  Annapolis,  in  readi- 
ness for  their  arrival,  all  the  supplies  and  camp- 
ing paraphernalia  they  would  be  likely  to  need 
during  their  outing. 

The  lads  themselves,  after  studying  the  va- 
rious routes  by  which  they  could  reach  their 
destination,  decided  to  travel  the  whole  distance 
by  water,  and  on  the  close  of  the  school-term 
hurried  off  to  their  homes  for  brief  visits  before 
meeting  in  Boston  for  their  voyage. 

63 


64  THE  CRUISE  OF  THE  FIREFLY 

Harry  took  Cripple  Ben  home  with  himself, 
and  the  attention  he  showed  on  the  halt  boy, 
both  on  the  cars  and  while  at  his  father's  house, 
strengthened,  if  that  were  possible,  the  warm 
attachment  already  existing  between  them. 

On  the  following  Monday,  the  day  set  for 
their  start,  they  left  Worcester  together  for  the 
capital,  and  joining  the  other  boys  at  the  United 
States  Hotel  went  with  them  down  to  India 
Wharf,  where  they  embarked  upon  the  steamer 
Forest  City  for  Portland. 

Once  upon  the  deck  of  the  vessel,  they  un- 
furled their  silk  banners,  which  Harry  had  thus 
far  had  in  his  own  keeping,  and  with  them  flut- 
tering in  the  stiff  breeze  sailed  down  the  beauti- 
ful harbor  to  the  broad  ocean. 

Their  animated  faces,  sprightly  conversation 
and  handsome  flags  soon  attracted  the  attention 
of  the  other  passengers ;  and  when  it  was  once 
known  who  the  lads  were  and  where  they  were 
going,  they  became  the  chief  centre  of  interest 
to  all  on  board. 

One  old  gentleman  became  particularly  at- 
tached to  Cripple  Ben,  and  on  learning  his 
name  was  Probert,  asked  if  he  was  any  relation 
of  John  Probert,  captain  of  the  smack  Sivan, 
which  had  been  wrecked  a  few  years  before. 


CAUGHT  IN  A  GALE  65 

With  an  emotion  he  could  not  entirely  sup- 
press, Ben  replied : 

' '  He  was  my  father. ' ' 

"Indeed,"  cried  the  old  man  with  evident 
pleasure;  "I  knew  him  well.  My  name  is 
Brown,  and  I'm  in  the  fish  trade;  have  several 
vessels  that  ply  back  and  forth  to  the  banks,  and 
one  time  your  father  did  me  a  good  turn.  One 
of  my  smacks  had  a  sick  crew;  there  weren't 
enough  well  men  to  handle  her,  and  he  towed 
her  into  the  nearest  port  without  charging  a 
cent,  Said  he  didn't  know  when  he  might  be  in 
the  same  fix,  and  would  need  similar  help.  Poor 
fellow !  he  was  lost  soon  after ;  he  was  a  gentle- 
man, every  inch  of  him." 

Ben's  cheeks  flushed  with  pride  as  the  man 
spoke  in  these  hearty  terms  of  his  father,  and 
he  felt  as  though  he  could  now  claim,  in  spite 
of  his  deformity  and  poverty,  social  position 
among  his  comrades.  The  circumstance  did 
more  to  put  him  at  his  ease  with  his  associates 
than  any  show  of  good-will  or  kindness  on  their 
part  had  done. 

Mr.  Brown  now  became  quite  talkative,  and 
was  soon  in  full  possession  of  the  boat-crew's 
history  and  the  trip  they  contemplated;  at 
length  turning  to  Harry,  whom  he  had  learned 
was  the  leader  of  the  party,  he  inquired: 

5 


66  THE  CRUISE  OF  THE  FIREFLY 

"May  I  ask  your  route  to  Annapolis?" 

"On  arriving  in  Portland  to-morrow,  we  ex- 
pect to  take  the  steamer  City  of  Richmond,  of 
the  Portland,  Mt.  Desert  and  Machias  line,  to 
Machiasport,  where  we  hope  to  charter  a  sail- 
ing-vessel to  set  us  over  to  Annapolis,' '  Harry 
politely  answered. 

"How  fortunate!"  said  the  gentleman,  rub- 
bing his  hands  together.  "I  belong  at  Grand 
Pre  upon  Minas  Basin,  at  the  head  of  the  Bay 
of  Fundy,  and  have  one  of  my  vessels  at  Ma- 
chiasport waiting  to  take  me  home.  What  is 
there  to  prevent  your  sailing  with  me?  We'll 
run  in  through  Digby  Gut,  and  leave  you  at 
Annapolis." 

This  invitation  was  extended  with  a  hearti- 
ness the  lads  could  not  well  refuse,  and  grate- 
fully accepting  it  therefore,  they  continued  their 
journey  to  Machiasport  in  Mr.  Brown's  com- 
pany, arriving  early  Wednesday  afternoon. 

His  smack,  the  Gamble,  a  schooner  of  about 
ninety  tons,  lay  at  the  dock  only  a  few  rods 
from  the  steamboat  landing,  and  he  and  his 
boy  guests  were  soon  on  board ;  then  the  moor- 
ings were  cast  off  and  she  put  to  sea. 

Under  a  gentle  breeze  from  the  southwest  she 
went  slowly  along  the  New  Brunswick  coast 
and  at  sunset  was  off  Grand  Manan  Island. 


CAUGHT  IN  A  GALE  67 

Here,  with  the  going  down  of  the  sun,  the  wind 
died  away,  and  the  vessel,  with  her  sails  hanging 
idly  at  her  mast,  scarcely  moved  over  the  sur- 
face of  the  bay. 

"This  is  a  calm  in  dead  earnest,"  Harry  re- 
marked, as  he  and  his  friends  came  on  deck 
after  supper. 

"But  I  rather  like  it,"  said  Tom  Sexsmith. 
"Just  see  the  shadow  of  the  smack  in  the  water 
here,"  and  he  pointed  over  the  rail. 

"Or  of  the  island  off  there,"  chimed  in  Bob 
Hunt,  pointing  to  the  north. 

"It's  awful  hot,  though,"  exclaimed  Fred 
Williams,  wiping  the  sweat  off  of  his  brow  with 
his  handkerchief. 

Mr.  Brown  and  the  captain  now  came  on 
deck. 

"This  don't  look  as  though  we  shall  get 
across  the  bay  to-night,"  Harry  remarked  to 
them  as  they  drew  near  him. 

"We  shall  be  getting  out  of  this  faster  than 
you  want  to  before  long,  youngster, ' '  answered 
the  officer  gruffly. 

"Why?"  questioned  the  lad  in  some  surprise; 
for  not  a  cloud  was  to  be  seen,  the  sky  was  fast 
filling  up  with  bright  constellations,  and  every 
star  was  mirrored  in  the  vast  deep  beneath. 

It  was  Mr.  Brown  who  replied: 


68  THE  CRUISE  OF  THE  FIREFLY 

"The  barometer  has  suddenly  fallen  several 
degrees,  an  alarming  indication  that  a  gale  is 
at  hand. 

'As  for  the  captain,  he  had  walked  quickly  to 
the  helm  and  taken  it  with  his  own  hands. 

"All  hands  ahoy!"  he  cried;  "take  in  all 
sail!" 

Instantly  all  was  activity  on  board.  The 
hoarse  orders  of  the  officers,  the  answers  of  the 
sailors,  the  creaking  of  the  blocks — these  spoke 
of  the  imminent  danger  at  hand,  and  that  brave 
men  were  doing  all  that  could  be  done  to  pre- 
pare for  it, 

Before  these  preparations  were  complete^ 
however,  the  sky  became  overcast  and  thick 
darkness  closed  around. 

"Hold  fast  your  lines!  Every  man  to  his 
post!"  commanded  the  captain  in  sharp,  quick 
tones.  "There  is  no  knowing  from  what  quar- 
ter the  wind  will  strike  us." 

Scarcely  had  he  spoken  when  the  whole  sky 
was  pierced  by  a  terrible  flash  of  lightning; 
then  followed  a  loud  and  long  roar  of  thunder. 

"I  don't  like  this  thing,"  said  the  mate  to 
the  captain,  rubbing  his  eyes  to  get  rid  of  the 
effects  of  that  dazzling  gleam. 

"Nor  do  I,"  admitted  the  captain;  then  to 
his  passengers  he  said:     "You  had  better  go 


CAUGHT  IN  A  GALE  69 

below;  we  may  have  to  put  on  the  hatches  as 
soon  as  the  wind  strikes  us." 

Mr.  Brown,  who,  though  the  owner  of  a  num- 
ber of  vessels,  was  not  much  of  a  sailor,  and 
four  of  the  boys,  immediately  obeyed  this  sug- 
gestion ;  but  Harry,  Tom  Sexsmith  and  Cripple 
Ben  tarried  a  little  longer. 

' '  This  makes  me  think  of  old  times  when  with 
father, ' '  Ben  said  to  his  companions.  ' '  Ah ! 
if  I  only  had  sound  legs  under  me  I  too  would 
be  a  sailor. ' ' 

His  comrades  made  no  reply ;  they  understood 
his  feelings,  however,  for  even  to  them  there 
was  a  fascination  in  the  approaching  storm. 

"Helm  hard  aport!"  thundered  the  captain 
at  this  moment.     ' i  Quick,  now ! ' ' 

' '  Aye,  aye,  sir ! ' '  came  the  answer. 

The  creaking  of  the  rudder  to  port  followed, 
and  the  schooner  slowly  answered  to  her  helm. 
Then  came  another  blinding  flash,  a  sharper  peal 
of  thunder,  and  a  great  gust  struck  the  vessel 
that  almost  threw  her  on  her  beam. 

"If  that's  only  a  feeler,  there'll  be  business 
for  us  when  the  storm  settles  down  in  earnest, ' ' 
remarked  the  captain,  as  he  called  two  men  to 
the  helm  and  directed  them  to  lash  themselves 
there. 

The  second  blast  of  the  gale  was  not  long  in 


70  THE  CRUISE  OF  THE  FIREFLY 

coming.  It  struck  the  vessel  with  still  more 
violence  than  the  preceding  one.  All  were  in 
momentary  expectation  of  hearing  the  snapping 
of  the  masts  or  the  giving  away  of  the  sails; 
but  the  smack  bore  it  well,  and  rushed  off 
through  the  water  like  a  race-horse. 

"We  are  heading  directly  for  the  east  coast,' ' 
said  the  captain,  ' l  and  if  the  gale  continues  long 
at  this  rate,  nothing  can  keep  us  off  of  the  Digby 
Neck  reefs." 

He  now  noticed  the  three  lads  standing  in  the 
shelter  of  the  cabin,  and,  with  something  like 
admiration  for  their  pluck,  added : 

"Up  here  yet,  boys?  It's  no  place  for  you, 
however;  then,  too,  we  want  to  lash  down  the 
hatches.  Soon  the  billows  will  be  sweeping  the 
deck." 

Thinking  of  Ben  rather  than  of  themselves, 
Harry  and  Tom  helped  their  companion  down 
into  the  cabin,  and  the  covers  were  fastened  in 
place. 

None  too  soon,  moreover,  for  a  heavy  wave  a 
moment  later  buried  the  vessel ;  before  she  could 
recover,  another  billow  struck  her  at  a  disad- 
vantage, but  fortunately  her  helm  was  down, 
and  answering  it  promptly  she  was  brought  out 
of  imminent  danger. 

In    this    way    an    hour    passed.    But    little 


CAUGHT  IN  A  GALE  71 

change  was  noticeable ;  the  gale  scarcely  abated; 
the  laboring  and  straining  of  the  vessel  were 
terrible;  to  the  unpractised  ears  of  the  lads  it 
seemed  as  though  she  might  at  any  moment  gape 
apart  and  go  down. 

"If  we  get  out  of  this  alive  it  will  be  a 
night — "  Harry  had  remarked;  then  his  words 
were  cut  short  by  a  terrible  lurch  of  the 
schooner,  followed  by  a  loud  cry  from  the 
deck. 

The  next  instant  the  hatch  was  thrown  open, 
and  the  mate's  voice  called  out: 

"The  captain  has  been  washed  overboard, 
and  breakers  are  just  ahead  of  us !  You  had 
better  come  on  deck." 

With  pale  faces  Mr.  Brown  and  the  lads  hur- 
ried up  the  ladder,  Harry  helping  Ben  before 
he  went  himself. 

In  the  darkness  little  could  be  seen,  but  the 
sound  of  breakers  rose  even  above  the  noise  of 
the  gale. 

"Do  you  know  where  you  are?"  asked  Mr. 
Brown  of  the  mate. 

"I  heard  the  captain  say  before  he  was 
washed  overboard  that  we  were  driving  for 
Digby  Neck  reef,"  he  replied;  "but  I  am  not 
acquainted  with  the  shore.  Does  any  one  know 
the  coast?" 


72  THE  CRUISE  OF  THE  FIREFLY 

The  last  question  was  asked  in  tones  that 
could  be  heard  all  over  the  deck. 

For  a  minute  no  one  answered.  Every  in- 
dividual on  board  knew  the  situation  was  al- 
most hopeless,  and  all  shrank  from  assuming 
any  responsibility  in  such  a  dire  extremity. 

It  was  a  time  of  fearful  suspense.  They  were 
being  driven  forward  with  frightful  rapidity, 
every  moment  bearing  them  nearer  destruc- 
tion. 

"What  light  is  that  to  the  northeast f"  sud- 
denly asked  Mr.  Brown. 

"It  must  be  the  one  at  the  entrance  of  Digby 
Gut,"  cried  the  mate.  "Again  I  ask,  don't 
some  of  you  men  know  this  coast?" 

Then  a  voice  rang  clear  above  the  roar  of  the 
storm  and  seething  billows: 

' i  If  that  is  Digby  Light,  I  do ;  take  me  to  the 
wheel  and  hold  me  on  my  feet,  and  I  will  put 
the  craft  into  the  harbor." 

It  was  Cripple  Ben  who  had  spoken. 


CHAPTER  VIII 

THE  LAUNCH  FIRE-FLY 

BEN'S  astonishing  declaration  seemed  to 
both  Mr.  Brown  and  the  mate  to  be  little 
more  than  an  idle  boast;  but  not  so  to 
Harry  Wallace.  He  knew  his  young  friend 
was  not  only  perfectly  familiar  with  the  hand- 
ling of  a  vessel,  but  had  also  sailed  in  those 
waters  before,  and  he  put  implicit  confidence  in 
his  unexpected  and  seemingly  wild  assertion. 

"Here,  Tom,"  he  cried,  "let  us  help  Ben  over 
to  the  wheel.  You  know  he 's  been  here  before, 
and  can  steer  a  boat  like  a  sailor. ' ' 

His  words  electrified  the  despairing  seamen 
and  well  nigh  hopeless  lads,  and  they  cheered 
Tom  Sexsmith  as  he  promptly  sprang  forward 
to  answer  Harry's  call.  The  next  instant  the 
crippled  youth  was  at  the  helm,  held  upon  his 
feet  not  only  by  his  two  boy  friends,  but  also  by 
the  two  sailors,  who,  without  the  slightest  hesi- 
tation, had  surrendered  the  wheel  to  his  hands. 

There  is  no  doubt  that  the  violence  of  the  gale 
had  now  somewhat  diminished,  but  the  wind 

73 


74  THE  CRUISE  OF  THE  FIREFLY 

was  still  strong  and  the  sea  turbulent,  and  it 
was  well  for  Ben  that  he  brought  to  his  self- 
assigned  task  muscles  that  had  become  like  iron 
from  constant  rowing,  and  a  courage  and  a  will 
power  that  knew  no  yielding. 

Grasping  firmly  the  spokes  of  the  rudder 
wheel,  he  listened  a  moment  for  the  sound  of  the 
breakers  so  alarmingly  near.  The  schooner 
was  running  in  a  northeasterly  direction,  and 
the  noise  of  the  dashing  waters  was  directly 
ahead. 

A  vigorous  turn  of  the  wheel  let  the  schooner 
drop  off  a  point  or  two,  and  as  she,  with  a 
tremor  that  shook  her  from  bow  to  stern,  set- 
tled to  her  new  course,  it  was  apparent  to  every 
listener  that  the  breakers  had,  by  that  move- 
ment, been  brought  upon  the  left  hand,  and  the 
vessel  was  at  last  running  parallel  with  and  not 
into  them. 

A  sudden  conviction  that  the  lad  knew  what 
he  was  about  now  seized  the  mate,  who  had  thus 
far  stood  passively  at  the  cabin  door,  and  step- 
ping quickly  along  to  the  wheel  he  said : 

"You  are  in  command,  youngster;  give  your 
orders  and  they  shall  be  obeyed." 

"I'll  tell  you  what  I'm  up  to,"  replied  Ben 
frankly,  but  still  attending  closely  to  his  helm; 
"there  are  two  reefs  in  here.     The  outer  one 


THE  LAUNCH  FIRE-FLY  75 

lies  north  of,  and  at  the  east  end  overlaps,  the 
second.  Between  them  is  a  deep  channel  that 
in  favorable  weather  is  sometimes  used  by  ves- 
sels to  save  the  longer  course  around  the  reefs. 
I've  been  through  there  once,  and  am  going  to 
try  to  make  the  passage  now.  It's  risky  in  this 
storm,  I  know,  but  it's  our  only  chance,  and  is 
worth  taking." 

"I  see,"  responded  the  officer  heartily;  "and 
you  want  a  sharp  lookout  kept  forward. ' ' 

"Yes,"  assented  Ben;  "and  have  your  men 
stand  ready  to  hoist  the  main  jib  when  we  reach 
the  channel;  it  will  steady  the  schooner,  and 
give  her  better  headway  as  we  run  down  it. ' ' 

With  a  smothered  exclamation  of  surprise  the 
mate  repeated  these  orders  to  the  sailors. 

Swiftly  the  smack  sped  along  her  course,  until 
the  young  pilot's  quick  ear  detected  the  sound 
of  breakers  on  the  right  as  well  as  the  left 
hand. 

"We  are  close  to  the  channel,"  he  said  hastily 
to  the  officer  at  his  side;  "quick  with  your 
orders." 

' '  Hoist  the  main  jib !  Keep  a  sharp  look-out 
forward!"  were  the  immediate  commands. 

"Aye,  aye,  sir!"  answered  the  men,  spring- 
ing to  the  ropes. 


76  THE  CRUISE  OF  THE  FIREFLY 

"Breakers!"  called  the  lookout,  as  the  jib 
was  hauled  to  its  place. 

"Where  away!"  asked  Ben  himself,  eagerly. 

1  i  On  the  right  and  not  ten  fathoms  off ! "  was 
the  startling  reply. 

A  vivid  flash  of  lightning  at  this  instant  gave 
the  lad  his  bearings.  The  west  end  of  the 
second  reef  of  ledges  was  close  at  hand  on 
the  starboard  quarter,  while  the  east  end  of  the 
first  reef  tapered  away  on  the  port,  and  the 
schooner  was  making  for  a  narrow  but  open 
passage  between  them.  Straight  ahead  faintly 
but  steadily  gleamed  the  lamp  in  the  lighthouse 
at  the  entrance  into  Digby  Gut,  and  with  a  grip 
on  the  wheel  that  held  the  tossing  vessel  to  her 
place  Ben  ran  directly  for  it. 

There  was  fortunately  a  lull  in  the  gale  at 
that  moment,  and  under  the  impetus  of  her 
swelling  jib  the  noble  craft  sped  down  the  centre 
of  the  channel.  A  slight  deviation  to  either 
the  right  or  the  left  would  have  sent  her  to  in- 
stant destruction. 

Not  a  word  was  spoken  by  any  one.  Ben's 
eyes  were  strained  forward  to  penetrate,  if  pos- 
sible, the  thick  gloom;  his  ears  had  not  less 
tension  to  catch  the  faintest  sound. 

"Breakers  right  ahead!"  suddenly  shouted 
the  man  forward,  in  great  alarm ;  but  the  young 


THE  LAUNCH  FIRE-FLY  77 

pilot  was  on  the  alert,  and  had  detected  the 
sound  as  soon  as  he,  and  a  quick  turn  of  the 
wheel  was  his  only  answer. 

Then  a  flash  of  lightning  revealed  that  the 
vessel,  just  clearing  a  huge  projection  of  rocks 
on  the  starboard,  and  over  which  the  waves  were 
dashing  in  fury,  had  emerged  into  the  compara- 
tively smooth  waters  at  the  mouth  of  Digby 
Gut. 

The  perilous  passage  was  safely  made. 

Not,  however,  until  the  schooner  had  been 
brought  under  the  lee  side  of  one  of  the  pro- 
jecting headlands,  and  securely  anchored,  did 
Ben  leave  his  post;  then,  quite  exhausted  by  the 
severe  strain,  he  was  assisted  into  the  cabin, 
where  Mr.  Brown's  own  hands  ministered  to 
him,  until  his  wet  clothes  were  changed  for  dry, 
and  he  was  snugly  stowed  into  his  berth. 

"It's  a  bold  move  you  have  made  to-night,  my 
boy,"  remarked  Mr.  Brown  with  considerable 
emotion  as  he  spread  a  light  blanket  over  the 
lad;  "we  shall  not  soon  forget  that  your  cool 
head  and  strong  arm  have  not  only  saved  the 
vessel,  but,  in  all  probability,  our  lives." 

"That's  so,"  assented  Harry  Wallace  and 
his  five  comrades  in  a  chorus ;  for  they  were 
all  in  the  cabin  changing  their  wet  garments 
and  preparing  for  a  much-needed  rest. 


78  THE  CRUISE  OF  THE  FIREFLY 

' '  Something  had  to  be  done  to  save  the  smack 
and  us;  and,  as  I  knew  about  the  reefs,  I  was 
the  one  to  undertake  it.  It  wasn't  anything 
more  than  the  rest  of  you  would  have  tried  had 
you  been  acquainted  here,"  replied  Ben, 
modestly. 

What  Mr.  Brown  would  have  answered  it  is 
impossible  to  say,  for,  before  he  could  utter  a 
word,  the  hatch  was  thrown  back,  and  the  mate 
and  one  of  the  sailors  descended,  bearing  be- 
tween them  an  unconscious  form. 

"Why,  who's  this?  What's  happened!" 
asked  Mr.  Brown  in  consternation;  then  catch- 
ing sight  of  the  unfortunate  man's  face  he 
answered  his  own  question  in  the  words:  "If  I 
live,  it 's  the  captain ! ' ' 

"Yes,"  replied  the  mate,  and  nodding  for  his 
companion  to  lower  the  body  of  the  officer  down 
upon  the  cabin  floor;  "you  see,  he  wasn't 
washed  overboard,  after  all.  The  wave  that 
swept  him  off  his  feet  drove  him  head  first  into 
the  caboose,  and  left  him  stunned  on  the  floor 
until  the  cook  went  in  to  light  the  fire  and  found 
him. ' ' 

"He  isn't  dead,  then?"  exclaimed  Mr.  Brown, 
joyfully. 

"No,  only  unconscious  from  the  blow  on  the 
head;  we'll  soon  bring  him  to,"  responded  the 


THE  LAUNCH  FIRE-FLY  V9 

mate,  kneeling  down  to  chafe  the  captain's 
wrists  and  temples. 

Mr.  Brown  came  to  his  assistance ;  such  sim- 
ple restoratives  as  the  vessel  afforded  were 
used,  and  after  a  time  the  man  slowly  returned 
to  consciousness. 

His  first  words  were  an  inquiry  for  the  con- 
dition of  the  smack,  and  when  told  she  was 
safely  anchored  under  the  headlands  of  Digby 
Gut  he  seemed  satisfied,  and  soon  sank  into  a 
quiet  and  refreshing  sleep. 

The  next  morning,  however,  he  was  quite 
himself,  and  after  breakfast  directed  the  getting 
of  the  schooner  under  way,  and  the  bringing  of 
her  up  to  the  dock  at  Annapolis. 

He  was  enthusiastic  over  Cripple  Ben's  dar- 
ing and  successful  attempt  to  run  between  the 
outside  reefs  in  the  darkness  and  storm  of  the 
night  before. 

' '  I  had  thought  of  the  same  thing, ' '  he  said ; 
"but  when  I  was  swept  off  of  my  feet  I  con- 
cluded 'twas  all  up  with  the  smack,  for  I  knew 
Johnson  (the  mate)  wasn't  acquainted  in  here. 
How  came  you  to  know  'bout  the  passage, 
youngster  ? ' ' 

"I  was  up  here  a  few  years  ago  with  my 
father,  John  Probert,  and  ran  through  there," 
Ben   explained,   wishing   the   captain   and   his 


80  THE  CRUISE  OF  THE  FIREFLY 

other  friends  would  let  the  whole  matter  drop, 
for  they  had  all  had  so  much  to  say  about  his 
act  that  he  was  becoming  tired  of  hearing  of  it. 

"John  Probert  your  father!"  cried  the  cap- 
tain. "Why,  I  might  have  known  it;  you  are 
just  his  picture,  and  have  some  of  the  same  grit 
in  ye,  too.  What  a  pity  you  haven't  a  pair  of 
sound  legs  under  ye;  you'd  be  in  charge  of  a 
smack  in  no  time. ' ' 

Evidently  to  the  captain  this  was  the  height 
of  all  human  ambition. 

"I  say,  Ben,  would  you  like  to  go  up  town 
with  the  rest  of  us?"  Harry  Wallace  called  out 
at  this  moment.  "We  are  going  up  to  Boland 
&  Wilder 's,  to  whose  care  father  sent  our  traps. 
It's  not  far,  I  think,  and  perhaps  you'll  enjoy 
the  walk." 

"I'll  go,"  answered  Ben,  picking  up  his 
crutches,  for  he  was  glad  of  the  oportunity  to 
get  away  from  the  well-meaning  but  talkative 
officer. 

They  had  barely  reached  the  wharf  when  Mr. 
Brown  came  up  out  of  the  cabin  of  the  smack 
and  stopped  them. 

"Why  not  let  Ben  go  with  me  to  charter  a 
boat  to  take  you  up  to  the  lakes?"  he  asked; 
"we  will  have  it  around  here  by  the  time  you 


THE  LAUNCH  FIRE-FLY  81 

can  send  down  your  stuff,  and  after  an  early 
dinner  you  can  start  up  the  river.' ' 

Stopping  a  moment  to  give  Mr.  Brown  some 
idea  of  the  kind  of  boat  he  had  expected  to  se- 
cure for  the  trip,  and  the  price  he  was  willing 
to  pay  for  its  use,  Harry  went  off  up  the  street 
with  the  other  boys,  while  Mr.  Brown  and  Ben 
walked  down  the  docks  toward  a  place  where  a 
huge  sign  informed  them  boats  were  kept  to 
let. 

Wallace  and  his  companions  found  the  store 
of  Boland  &  Wilder  without  difficulty,  and  were 
cordially  received  by  the  junior  member  of  the 
firm. 

' '  Our  own  truckman  will  load  up  your  goods 
and  convey  them  to  the  wharf, "  he  said; 
"meantime  let  me  show  you  about  our  town." 

The  boys  accepted  his  invitation,  and  soon 
became  so  interested  in  the  chief  attractions  of 
the  thriving  village  that  before  they  were  aware 
it  was  already  noon.  Thanking  the  gentleman, 
therefore,  for  his  courtesy,  and  settling  with 
him  for  the  freight  and  storage  of  their  camping 
outfit,  they  hurriedly  returned  to  the  smack. 

Once  at  her  dock,  they  stood  still  in  sheer 
surprise  at  what  they  saw.  Below  the  schooner 
was  a  small  steam  launch,  on  which  their  goods 
were  already  loaded.     She  had  a  small  yawl  in 

6 


82  THE  CRUISE  OF  THE  FIREFLY 

tow,  and  also  a  light  flat-bottomed  sharpie ;  her 
engine  fires  were  going,  steam  was  up,  and 
everything  was  in  readiness  for  an  immediate 
ascent  of  the  river.  Last  of  all,  Cripple  Ben 
sat  in  her  stern,  with  his  hand  on  her  tiller,  as 
though  the  moment  his  comrades  stepped  on 
board  their  journey  would  begin. 

"Is  that  our  craft?"  asked  Harry,  as  soon  as 
he  had  recovered  from  his  surprise. 

"Yes,"  replied  Ben,  with  sparkling  eyes; 
' '  don 't  you  like  her  ? ' ' 

"Like  her?  Of  course  I  do!"  cried  Harry 
emphatically;  "  where 'd  you  find  her?" 

"Down  the  wharves  a  piece,"  answered  Ben. 
"You  see,  she  burns  coal  and  wood,  and  we've 
got  enough  of  the  former  in  her  bunker  to  take 
us  up  to  the  lakes  and  back,  and  if  we've  an 
occasion  to  use  her  up  there  we  can  burn  wood. 
Mr.  Brown  thought  her  better  and  surer  against 
the  currents  than  a  sail-boat,  so  he  made  ar- 
rangements for  her." 

"That's  all  right,"  replied  Harry  slowly,  but 
wondering  what  she  was  going  to  cost  for  the 
trip;  finally  he  asked:  "What  do  they  charge 
for  her?" 

Ben  evidently  was  waiting  for  this  question, 
for  with  a  broad  grin  he  responded,  "Nothing." 


THE  LAUNCH  FIRE-FLY  83 

"Nothing!"  exclaimed  all  the  boys  in  amaze- 
ment. 

"That's  about  the  size  of  it,"  replied  Ben 
coolly,  and  enjoying  his  comrades'  puzzled 
looks. 

Mr.  Brown,  who  had  been  standing  on  the 
deck  of  the  schooner,  listening  with  considerable 
amusement  to  this  conversation,  now  explained : 

"She  belongs  to  Ben,  young  gentlemen,  a 
gift  from  the  captain  and  myself,  and  he  means 
she  is  at  your  free  service  during  your  coming 
trip." 

A  brief  pause  followed  this  astonishing  an- 
nouncement; then  Tom  Sexsmith  asked: 

"What's  her  name,  Ben?" 

"The  Fire-Fly"  he  answered. 

"Three  cheers  for  the  Fire-Fly,  and  her 
owner,  and  her  givers !"  he  cried,  taking  off  his 
hat  and  swinging  it  over  his  head. 

They  were  given  with  a  will. 

"Now  come  on  board  of  the  smack  and  take 
dinner  with  us,"  Mr.  Brown  said;  "after  that 
you  may  be  off  as  soon  as  you  please." 

The  dinner  occupied  the  better  part  of  an 
hour,  there  was  so  much  to  talk  about  as  well 
as  to  eat ;  but  a  little  past  one  o  'clock  the  Fire- 
Fly  cast  off  her  hawsers,  whistled  farewell  to 
the  smack  and  her  crew,  and  with  the  boat-club 


84  THE  CRUISE  OF  THE  FIREFLY 

banners  flying,  one  at  her  bow,  the  other  at  her 
stern,  steamed  swiftly  off  up  the  river.  Sing- 
ing school  songs  and  chatting  merrily  they  were 
looking  forward  to  an  ideal  jolly  camping  trip 
and  not  one  of  them  guessed  at  the  dangers  and 
adventures  which  were  to  befall  them. 


CHAPTER  IX 

AN  UNPLEASANT  DISCOVERY 

CRIPPLE  BEN,  happy  at  the  thought  that 
he,  through  the  beneficence  of  Mr.  Brown 
and  the  captain  of  the  schooner,  could 
contribute  the  use  of  the  launch  as  his  part 
towards  the  success  of  their  expedition,  sat  at 
her  helm;  while  Tom  Sexsmith,  by  the  general 
consent  of  his  comrades,  had  established  him- 
self as  her  fireman  and  engineer.  But  the  du- 
ties of  neither  lad  were  so  exacting  as  to  pre- 
vent him  from  sharing  with  the  other  boys  the 
enjoyment  of  the  beautiful  and  varied  scenery 
of  Annapolis  Valley,  through  which  they  were 
now  passing. 

On  either  side,  but  some  distance  back  from 
the  banks  of  the  river,  rose  the  mountain  spurs, 
from  six  to  twelve  hundred  feet  in  height,  their 
sides  and  tops  covered  with  forests  of  birch  or 
maple  or  oak,  or  stunted  fir.  Between  the  hills 
and  the  stream  stretched  broad,  well-cultivated 
fields,  with  here  and  there  a  cluster  of  dwellings, 
in  some  instances  scarcely  reaching  the  dignity 

85 


86  THE  CRUISE  OF  THE  FIREFLY 

of  a  hamlet,  in  others  attending  to  a  more  pre- 
tentious and  sometimes  thriving  village. 

"This  doesn't  look  much  like  good  hunting 
and  fishing  grounds, ' '  remarked  Fred  Williams, 
as  the  Fire-Fly  sped  swiftly  by  the  numerous 
habitations. 

"Wait  until  we  are  thirty  or  forty  miles  up 
the  river,"  replied  Ben  with  a  smile;  "before 
we  stop  for  the  night  you  may  have  another 
opinion." 

And  so  it  proved.  The  farther  they  ascended, 
the  nearer  the  mountains  drew  in  towards  the 
stream;  villages  dropped  to  solitary  farm 
houses,  and  at  length  even  these  became  ruder 
and  less  frequent,  while  heavy  woods  occasion- 
ally grew  clear  down  to  the  water's  edge. 

The  sun  had  set,  and  twilight  was  fast  grow- 
ing into  darkness,  when  Ben,  pointing  up  the 
right  bank  of  the  river,  said : 

"There  is  McPherson's  Landing,  boys,  where 
we  shall  stop  to-night.  Just  beyond  it  is  the 
stream  we  shall  take  to  reach  the  lakes ;  unless 
they've  built  further  up  its  banks  than  they  had 
when  I  was  here  before,  this  is  the  last  house 
we  shall  see  until  we  return  to  the  river. ' ' 

In  a  few  minutes  the  launch  had  run  along- 
side of  a  rude  wharf  in  front  of  a  dilapidated 
saw-mill.     Back  of  this  was  a  small  collection 


AN  UNPLEASANT  DISCOVERY  87 

of  log  cabins,  from  the  larger  of  which  there 
immediately  came  a  long,  lank,  heavily  bearded 
backwoodsman,  who  sauntered  down  to  the 
dock,  calling  out : 

"  Hello,  thar,  strangers  !" 

1 '  Good  evening, ' '  the  boys  responded  in  con- 
cert; then  Harry  Wallace  asked: 

' '  May  we  put  up  here  to-night,  sir  f ' ' 

■'I  dunno  nothin'  to  bender,"  the  man  re- 
plied. "Jake  McPherson  never  yit  turned  a 
decent  fellow  from  his  door. ' '  Then  eyeing  the 
launch  and  her  crew  with  evident  curiosity  he 
continued:  "Going  up  to  the  lakes  campin',  I 
s'pose?" 

"Yes,  sir,"  answered  Harry  politely. 

"That's  a  cute  boat  ye've  got  thar;  I  never 
seed  a  purtier  up  this  part  of  the  river;  but 
how'd  ye  'spect  to  git  her  'bove  the  falls?"  he 
now  inquired. 

-  "We  shall  make  our  camp  at  the  basin  below 
the  falls,  but  put  our  small  boats  into  the  lake 
to  use  there,"  Harry  explained. 

"Sho',  now,  so  ye  can,"  assented  McPherson 
with  a  grin ;  ' '  but  fix  up  here  for  the  night,  an ' 
come  right  'long  to  the  house;  the  ole  worn 'n '11 
give  ye  a  bite  an'  stow  ye  in  somewhar'." 

As  this  would  save  them  the  trouble  of  un- 
packing and  packing  up  their  tents  the  boys  ac- 


88  THE  CRUISE  OF  THE  FIREFLY 

cepted  the  invitation,  and  soon  were  ready  to 
accompany  their  host  to  the  house. 

"Isn't  there  something  in  the  way  of  pro- 
visions you'd  like,  Mr.  McPherson?"  Wallace 
asked,  as  he  was  about  to  leave  the  launch. 
Somehow  he  couldn't  help  thinking,  from  the 
looks  of  the  landing  and  its  surroundings,  that 
it  would  be  a  difficult  thing  to  find  food  enough 
there  to  feed  himself  and  companions. 

"I  reckon  not,"  replied  Mr.  McPherson;  "I 
was  down  to  the  village  not  long  ago,  an' 
fetched  up  quite  a  lot  of  fodder.  Then  ye '11 
need  what  ye've  got  up  at  the  lakes." 

"You  think  we  won't  find  much  game  there, 
then?"  questioned  Eob  Hunt. 

"Thar's  game  'nough;  the  next  thing's  for 
ye  to  git  it,"  answered  the  man  sententiously ; 
and  his  tones  implied  he  had  little  opinion  of 
either  the  hunting  or  fishing  abilities  of  his 
young  guests. 

"Have  there  been  many  parties  up  here  this 
season?"  asked  Ben. 

"Nary  a  one,  unless  a  yawl  full  of  youngsters 
that  went  up  here  day  'fore  yesterday  was 
bound  up  to  the  lakes.  They  didn't  stop  here, 
an'  I  didn't  notice  whether  they  took  to  the 
brook  or  kept  on  up  the  river,"  was  the  reply. 

They  were  now  at  the  cabin,  which  the  lads 


AN  UNPLEASANT  DISCOVERY  89 

found  on  entering  contained  only  two  rooms  and 
a  loft.  In  the  outer  or  living  apartment,  how- 
ever, a  long  table  was  already  set  out,  and  two 
women,  whom  their  host  informed  them  were 
his  wife  and  daughter,  were  busy  putting  food 
upon  it. 

A  single  glance  convinced  Harry  that  in  the 
matter  of  quantity  at  least  he  and  his  comrades' 
need  have  no  misgiving.  There  was  a  whole 
boiled  ham,  a  huge  dish  of  potatoes,  another  of 
baked  beans,  and  an  uncut  loaf  of  hot  brown 
bread ;  while  from  the  stove  came  the  agreeable 
odor  of  coffee. 

Five  minutes  after  their  entrance  the  supper 
was  ready,  and  to  the  hungry  boys  the  coarse 
food  proved  not  only  palatable  but  very  invit- 
ing. From  the  amount  they  stowed  away  in 
the  next  half  hour  Mrs.  McPherson  must  have 
felt  highly  complimented. 

Finding  the  young  visitors  were  from  "the 
States,"  Mr.  McPherson  conversed  with  them 
for  an  hour  or  two  after  their  repast  was  over, 
anxious  to  learn  all  he  could  about  a  region 
which  he  evidently  regarded  as  a  marvel  of 
prosperity.  At  length,  however,  he  showed 
them  to  the  loft,  where  they  found  several 
rough  beds  of  blankets,  and  throwing  themselves 
upon  these,  they  were  soon  asleep. 


90  THE  CRUISE  OF  THE  FIREFLY 

At  an  early  hour  the  next  morning  they  were 
called  to  a  meal  as  substantial  as  that  of  which 
they  had  partaken  the  night  before.  When  this 
had  been  eaten,  they  settled  with  their  host  for 
their  entertainment,  and  purchasing  of  him  sev- 
eral bushels  of  potatoes,  once  more  embarked 
upon  the  launch  and  resumed  their  trip. 

Turning  into  the  stream,  which  emptied  into 
the  river  a  little  above  the  landing,  they  steamed 
slowly  up  its  rapid  current.  Two  hours  later, 
as  they  rounded  a  sharp  bend  in  the  creek,  Crip- 
ple Ben  turned  to  Fred  Williams,  who  sat  near 
him,  and  asked: 

"What  does  that  look  like?" 

Fred  and  the  other  lads  glanced  quickly  up 
the  stream,  and  saw  to  their  surprise  an  Indian 
encampment.  It  was  composed  of  a  dozen  or 
fifteen  wigwams,  situated  on  a  small  island  in 
a  natural  meadow,  bordered  by  a  grove  of  sugar 
maples.  The  wigwams  were  built  in  regular 
Indian  fashion,  circular  in  form,  with  oval  tops, 
and  covered  with  bark. 

The  entrances  were  low,  and  all  the  structures 
looked  as  though  a  full-grown  person  could  not 
stand  upright  in  them.  The  squaws  and  pap- 
pooses  now  came  crowding  out,  and  stared  at 
the  passing  launch  with  wonder  and  curiosity. 
Possibly  it  was  the  first  steam  vessel  they  had 


AN  UNPLEASANT  DISCOVERY  91 

ever  seen,  and  they  could  not  account  for  her 
steady  advance,  without  sail  or  paddles.  No 
men,  however,  were  visible  about  the  encamp- 
ment, and  were  perhaps  absent  upon  some  fish- 
ing or  hunting  expedition. 

Fred  made  no  response  to  Ben's  question  un- 
til the  village  was  left  behind,  when  he  said : 

"They  were  real  Indians,  weren't  they?  I 
had  no  idea  we'd  find  them  up  here.  Do  you 
suppose  they  are  dangerous?" 

The  marked  anxiety  in  this  inquiry  brought 
a  laugh  from  his  companions. 

"Only  in  one  way,"  remarked  Ben  drily; 
"you'll  want  to  look  out  they  don't  steal  the 
clothes  off  your  back,  for  they'll  do  it  if  they 
get  a  chance. ' ' 

A  little  before  noon  the  stream  suddenly  nar- 
nowed  between  two  mountain  spurs,  and  the 
Fire-Fly,  dashing  at  full  speed  through  the  deep 
and  rapid  waters  at  this  point,  glided  out  into  a 
broad  pool  just  below  the  falls.  The  water  was 
of  sufficient  depth  to  allow  the  launch  to  come 
alongside  of  the  west  bank;  and  right  in  front 
of  a  plot  of  greensward,  shaded  by  a  grove  of 
immense  oaks,  looking  cool  and  delicious,  Ben 
stopped. 

"Here  is  where  I  camped  before,"  he  re- 
marked,  "but  we'd  better  fasten  the  launch, 


92  THE  CRUISE  OF  THE  FIREFLY 

and  look  around  a  spell  before  we  decide  on  a 
place  to  pitch  the  tents." 

So  the  lads  secured  the  boat,  and  clambered 
up  the  sloping  bank  among  the  trees  to  the  peb- 
bly shore  of  the  lake.  Then  an  exclamation  of 
delight  escaped  them. 

Before  them  stretched  a  scene  of  unprece- 
dented beauty.  As  far  as  the  eye  could  reach 
was  a  sheet  of  clear  and  sparkling  water. 
Islands  of  every  imaginable  contour  rose  up 
within  it,  and  hills  of  varied  height,  whose  tops 
bristled  with  clumps  of  fir,  surrounded  it. 

Quiet  sylvan  nooks  opened  between  the  spurs, 
while  patches  of  water-lilies,  arrowheads,  and 
other  aquatic  plants  covered  the  surface  of  the 
lake,  or  mossy  banks  overhung  with  the  dark 
foliage  of  the  hemlock  cast  their  shadows  be- 
neath. 

In  the  cool  depths  of  the  placid  waters  were 
myriads  of  finny  tribes,  as  the  beholders  knew 
by  the  splash  and  ripples  they  made  as  they 
leaped  to  catch  the  unwary  fly;  overhead 
wheeled  flocks  of  wild  water  fowls ;  and  off  in  a 
secluded  cove  fed  a  group  of  fallow  deer. 

"  Could  you  ask  a  better  place  for  a  two 
months'  sojourn! "  cried  Harry  enthusiastic- 
ally. 


AN  UNPLEASANT  DISCOVERY  93 

"If  we  could  only  camp  upon  that  island  l" 
exclaimed  Eoh  Hunt. 

The  other  boys  looked  in  the  direction  he  was 
pointing,  and  saw  nearly  opposite  them  quite  a 
large  isle,  with  groves  of  maple,  beech  and 
birches,  with  natural  meadows  luxuriant  with 
native  grasses,  and  glowing  with  patches  of 
wild  flowers. 

"It  won't  do  to  be  so  far  away  from  the 
launch, "  commented  Harry  with  a  shade  of 
disappointment  in  his  tones,  "but  you  are  right 
about  its  being  the  place  for  a  camp.  That  is 
finer  than  any  spot  along  the  shore. ' ' 

"Perhaps  we  can  find  some  way  to  get  the 
Fire-Fly  up  here,"  said  Cripple  Ben ;  "wouldn't 
it  be  just  grand  to  steam  around  this  lake!" 

His  suggestion  was  received  with  cheers. 

"We'll  see  later,"  Harry  declared;  "for  the 
present,  we'll  fix  our  camp  down  there  by  the 
launch.  Come  on,  let's  have  dinner,  and  then 
put  up  the  tents." 

His  companions  followed  him  back  to  the 
pool,  where  from  their  abundant  stores  they 
soon  had  ready  an  ample  meal,  and  when  this 
had  been  despatched,  the  work  of  unloading 
their  goods  and  arranging  the  camp  began. 

They  found  Mr.  Wallace  had  provided  them 
with  two  tents,  one  fourteen  by  eighteen  and 


04  THE  CRUISE  OF  THE  FIREFLY 

the  other  ten  by  twelve  feet.  These  were  made 
of  heavy  water-proof  canvas,  and  suitably 
equipped  with  seasoned  white  oak  poles  and 
stout  manilla  roping. 

The  spot  selected  for  pitching  them  was  ad- 
mirably adapted  for  the  purpose,  as  it  permitted 
the  front  of  the  tents  to  be  put  to  the  east,  and 
so  gave  them  the  sun  in  the  morning,  and  the 
shade  of  the  adjacent  trees  in  the  afternoon. 

The  larger  tent,  which  was  designed  for  a 
sleeping  apartment,  was  erected  first ;  and  when 
once  stretched  to  its  place,  was  separated  into 
two  unequal  parts  by  a  single  tier  of  foot-wide 
boards,  taken  from  the  empty  boxes,  and  run 
edge-wise  across  the  enclosed  space,  twelve  feet 
from  the  back  end. 

This  rear  portion  was  then  filled  with  hem- 
lock boughs  to  the  height  of  the  boards,  and, 
with  the  two  blankets  which  each  possessed, 
formed  a  comfortable  bed.  In  the  front  and 
smaller  part,  the  chests  of  the  boys  were  placed, 
each  in  such  a  position  that  its  owner  could 
have  ready  access  to  it. 

The  other  tent,  which  was  to  be  used  for  stor- 
ing goods,  and  for  cooking  and  eating  in  bad 
weather,  was  fitted  up  with  a  rude  table  at  its 
center,  also  made  from  the  empty  boxes.  About 
and  under  this  were  packed  the  camp  stores,  oil- 


AN  UNPLEASANT  DISCOVERY  95 

stove,  and  other  utensils,  so  as  to  be  easily 
reached  when  wanted  for  use. 

Adequate  trenches  about  both  tents,  to  carry 
off  the  water  in  case  of  rain,  and  a  stone  fire- 
place, so  constructed  as  to  hold  a  gridiron  or 
pot  at  its  top,  completed  the  arrangement  of  the 
encampment. 

"Now  put  up  the  banners  and  give  the  camp 
a  name,"  shouted  Tom  Sexsmith. 

"What  say  you  to  Camp  Randall,  in  honor  of 
the  doctor?"  asked  Harry. 

' '  Agreed ! ' '  cried  the  boys  with  one  voice,  and 
amid  their  cheers  the  flags  were  placed,  one  at 
the  peak  of  each  tent. 

It  was  already  sundown,  and  making  a  pot  of 
coffee  over  the  newly  built  fire-place,  the  lads 
contented  themselves  with  a  supper  from  the 
cold  boiled  ham  and  crackers  at  their  command. 

When  their  appetites,  already  sharpened  by 
their  out-door  exercise,  had  been  satisfied, 
Harry  called  out: 

"Come  on,  three  of  you,  and  help  me  carry 
the  sharpie  up  to  the  lake;  then  it'll  be  all  ready 
to  catch  a  fish  for  breakfast." 

"You  can  get  one  right  in  the  pool,"  replied 
Cripple  Ben. 

"I  suppose  so,"  responded  Harry,  "but  I 
want  to  try  the  lake." 


96  THE  CRUISE  OF  THE  FIREFLY 

Three  of  the  boys  joined  hirn,  and  under  their 
united  strength  the  light  boat  was  taken  up  the 
bank  and  launched  upon  the  lake,  where  it  was 
securely  fastened  to  the  tree. 

Then  the  lads  returned  to  their  tent,  and  after 
singing  a  rollicking  song  or  two  turned  in. 

Morning  was  just  breaking  when  Harry 
awoke.  Stepping  carefully  over  his  sleeping 
companions,  so  as  not  to  arouse  them,  he  took 
his  rod  and  went  up  to  the  lake. 

Unfastening  the  boat,  he  pushed  it  off  and 
slowly  sculled  out  toward  the  large  island  op- 
posite him. 

When  midway  between  that  and  the  shore,  he 
drew  in  his  oar,  adjusted  his  fly,  and  made  a 
cast. 

Barely  had  the  hook  struck  the  water  when  a 
big  trout  caught  it,  and,  with  a  whirl  that  fairly 
made  the  reel  smoke,  ran  off  fifty  feet  of  the 
line. 

Then  the  fish  turned  and  darted  back  toward 
the  boat,  and  Harry  drew  in  the  slack  cord  with 
all  possible  haste. 

Away  went  the  gamey  creature  again,  and  in 
the  intense  excitement  of  the  moment  the  lad 
took  no  notice  of  the  condition  of  his  craft. 
But  when  the  "speckled  beauty,"  at  least  three 
pounds  in  weight,  was  secured,  he  made  the 


AN  UNPLEASANT  DISCOVERY  97 

very  unpleasant  discovery  that  the  water  was 
pouring  into  the  boat  through  two  small  holes 
which  had  been  cut  in  its  bottom. 

Dropping  his  fish,  he  seized  his  oars  and 
pulled  rapidly  for  the  shore.  Before  he  had 
made  half  the  distance,  however,  the  sharpie 
with  a  sudden  lurch  sank  under  him,  and  left 
him  struggling  in  the  deep  water. 


CHAPTER  X 

THE  SMASHED  BOAT 

HAD  Harry  been  unincumbered  by  his 
clothing  and  heavy  boots,  he  would  have 
cared  little  for  his  unceremonious  duck- 
ing, for  he  was  an  excellent  swimmer.  Under 
the  circumstances,  however,  he  realized  it  would 
be  a  doubtful  experiment  for  him  to  attempt  to 
swim  directly  for  the  shore,  and  so  the  moment 
he  found  himself  in  the  water  he  turned  to  the 
boat  to  see  whether  it  would  afford  him  any 
support. 

Fortunately,  relieved  of  his  weight,  the  light 
craft  had  risen  an  inch  or  two  above  the  sur- 
face, and  catching  hold  of  the  edge  next  to  him 
he  bore  heavily  down  upon  it.  Under  this  pres- 
sure, the  opposite  side  rose  slowly  in  the  air, 
and  soon,  passing  the  point  of  its  own  equilib- 
rium, the  sharpie  fell  with  a  loud  splash  bottom 
upward,  almost  carrying  the  lad  beneath  it. 

With  a  cry  of  exultation  Wallace  now  gath- 
ered up  his  oars  and  rod,  which  were  floating 
near  him,  and  laying  them  on  the  bottom  of  the 

98 


THE  SMASHED  BOAT  99 

overturned  boat,  began  to  push  it  toward  the 
shore. 

Kesting  occasionally,  he  at  last  reached  the 
beach,  just  as  Tom  Sexsmith,  rod  in  hand,  ran 
out  from  the  shadow  of  the  surrounding  trees. 

" Hello,  Harry!  What's  up?"  he  cried,  catch- 
ing sight  of  his  drenched  comrade.  "Did  you 
get  hold  of  a  fish  so  big  he  capsized  you ! ' ' 

The  drollery  in  his  tones  was  irresistible. 

"Not  exactly,"  replied  Harry  with  a  laugh, 
"though  I  did  have  a  nice  trout  just  before  I 
discovered  the  sharpie  was  filling  with  water, 
but  lost  it  when  I  capsized.  What  I  want  to 
know  is,  Who  has  been  tampering  with  the 
boat?"  and  he  pointed  to  the  two  holes  that  had 
been  cut  in  the  bottom  of  the  craft. 

Tom  gave  an  ejaculation  of  surprise,  and  with 
a  quick  step  was  beside  his  companion,  and  to- 
gether they  examined  the  apertures. 

They  had  evidently  been  made  with  some 
sharp-pointed  instrument,  probably  a  knife,  for 
they  were  about  an  inch  in  diameter  upon  the 
outer  side  and  tapered  down  to  half  that  size  on 
the  interior.  A  gummy  substance  still  clinging 
to  the  holes  also  showed  that  they  had  been 
carefully  filled,  so  as  to  escape  the  notice  of  the 
user  of  the  boat  until  he  was  well  out  from  the 


100  THE  CRUISE  OF  THE  FIREFLY 

shore,  where  the  action  of  the  water  would 
speedily  force  an  opening. 

■''You  can  see,  Tom,  that  it's  a  regular  put-up 
job,"  remarked  Harry,  when  he  finished  his 
examination;  "and  yet  the  boat  was  all  right 
when  we  left  it  here  last  night.  Who,  then, 
could  have  been  guilty  of  so  mean  a  trick?" 

There  was  both  suspicion  and  rising  anger  in 
the  lad's  tones,  and  he  looked  searchingly  at 
his  comrade. 

Tom  met  his  gaze  unflinchingly,  however. 

"You  may  be  sure  none  of  our  own  fellows 
did  it,"  he  replied  warmly.  "What  motive 
could  any  one  have  in  doing  it,  when  it  involved 
the  risking  of  your  life,  Harry?  And,  then, 
ichen  did  they  do  it?" 

The  honest,  straightforward  answer  and 
questions  of  the  boy  were  convincing. 

"You  are  right,  Tom,  and  I  ought  not  to 
have  suspected  one  of  you  for  a  moment," 
Harry  frankly  answered.  "We  must  look  out- 
side of  our  own  party  for  the  perpetrator  and 
his  motive;  but  there  I'm  stuck,  for  I  haven't 
seen  the  slightest  trace  of  any  one  around, ' '  and 
he  now  began  to  search  the  spot  where  the 
sharpie  had  been  fastened  during  the  night. 

' '  See  here,  Tom ! ' '  he  called  the  next  instant ; 
and  when  his  companion  reached  him  he  pointed 


THE  SMASHED  BOAT  101 

out  unmistakable  signs  on  the  bank  that  the  boat 
had  been  pulled  in  there,  and  turned  upon  its 
side  for  the  dastardly  work.  A  few  whittlings, 
mixed  with  the  loosened  dirt,  confirmed  this 
fact,  while  a  half-burned  match  or  two  indicated 
that  the  deed  had  been  done  during  the  night 
or  at  least  while  it  was  still  dark. 

" Could  it  have  been  an  Indian?  You  know 
they  seemed  to  be  absent  from  their  encamp- 
ment when  we  passed  there  yesterday,"  ex- 
claimed Tom. 

"Perhaps,"  responded  Harry  thoughtfully; 
"but  help  me  pull  the  boat  upon  the  bank,  where 
we'll  leave  it  until  after  breakfast,  when  we'll 
try  to  fix  it;  I'm  getting  chilly  in  these  wet 
clothes." 

The  boys  drew  the  sharpie  up  out  of  the 
water,  and  then  hurried  down  to  the  tents. 
They  found  the  other  lads  gathered  about  Crip- 
ple Ben,  who  was  exhibiting  two  handsome  trout 
he  had  just  caught  in  the  pool. 

"Where's  your  fish,  Harry?"  they  asked, 
then  noticing  his  wet  garments,  they  eagerly  in- 
quired what  had  happened. 

His  story  was  quickly  told,  and  Tom's  sug- 
gestion that  some  Indian  from  the  encampment 
down  the  stream  might  have  injured  the  boat 
was  added. 


102  THE  CRUISE  OF  THE  FIREFLY 

All  were  ready  to  accept  this  explanation  of 
the  deed  but  Ben.  When  asked  about  it  he 
slowly  shook  his  head. 

"Had  an  Indian  run  across  the  boat  he  would 
have  been  apt  to  steal  it, ' '  he  said ;  "  or  if  unable 
to  make  off  with  it  undiscovered,  would  have 
stove  in  the  bottom  and  left  it  completely  dis- 
abled. Then  he  wouldn't  have  been  likely  to 
use  matches  around  there.  If  he  had  them  at 
all  he  would  have  held  them  too  precious  to 
throw  away  on  such  a  job." 

"I  think  you  are  right  there,  Ben,"  remarked 
Harry;  "but  who  do  you  suppose  did  do  it?" 

"I  don't  know,"  answered  the  other;  "but 
we  must  find  out.  One  thing  is  sure,  too:  it 
won't  do  to  leave  the  camp  alone,  and  the  boats 
had  better  be  brought  down  here  every  night 
until  we  solve  the  mystery.  But  change  your 
clothes,  Harry,  while  I  clean  and  broil  these 
fish,  and  we'll  have  breakfast." 

During  the  meal,  which  was  soon  ready,  the 
strange  incident  of  the  morning  was  freely  dis- 
cussed, but  no  new  light  was  thrown  upon  it. 

"We  must  watch  and  wait,"  Ben  said;  "only 
give  us  time,  and  we  shall  know  who  did  this 
thing,  and  his  reason  for  it.  Eemember  what 
I  tell  you." 


THE  SMASHED  BOAT  103 

After  breakfast  all  the  boys  went  up  to  the 
lake  to  look  at  the  disabled  boat. 

"I  can  fix  this  in  a  few  minutes  so  it'll  be  just 
as  good  as  new,"  commented  Ben,  after  he  had 
made  a  critical  examination  of  the  sharpie. 
"One  of  you  run  down  to  the  camp  and  bring 
me  a  piece  of  seasoned  pine  about  an  inch  thick ; 
and  another  one  of  you  get  me  some  of  the  fresh 
pitch  from  a  hemlock-tree.' ' 

Two  of  the  lads  hastened  away  on  these  er- 
rands, and  when  they  returned  with  the  mate- 
rials, Ben  deftly  plugged  the  holes,  and  smeared 
them  over  with  the  gum.  Then  the  boat  was 
laid  out  upon  the  pebbly  beach  in  the  sun  to 
dry. 

"When  can  we  use  the  craft  again?"  asked 
Harry,  after  the  repairs  were  finished;  "I'm 
anxious  to  try  my  luck  with  that  trout  once 
more. ' ' 

"To-morrow,"  answered  Ben;  "but  the  yawl 
can  be  brought  up  here  for  your  use  to-day,  if 
you  wish.  Only  don't  forget  to  bring  it,  and 
the  sharpie  too,  back  to  the  pool  for  the  night. ' ' 

"What  shall  be  our  plans  for  the  day,  boys?" 
asked  Tom  Sexsmith,  who  had  been  amusing 
himself  for  a  few  minutes  by  skipping  stones 
across  the  smooth  surface  of  the  lake. 

"First,  let  us  decide  who  is  to  look  out  for 


104  THE  CRUISE  OF  THE  FIREFLY 

the  camp,  and  then  the  rest  of  us  can  arrange 
our  plans,"  suggested  Fred  Williams.  , 

*'I  tell  you,"  broke  in  Rob  Hunt  at  this  point ; 
"why  not  arrange  the  care  of  the  camp  alpha- 
betically? That  will  make  it  my  job  to-day, 
Ben's  to-morrow,  and  Reynolds  the  next  day. 
Then  will  come  Tom's  turn,  to  be  followed  by 
Harry,  Williams  and  Willis ;  after  that  we  '11  go 
the  rounds  again." 

"Oh!  you  needn't  do  that,"  Ben  exclaimed, 
"I'm  willing  to  look  out  for  the  camp  most  of 
the  time." 

"You'll  be  around  a  good  deal,  of  course,  and 
so  will  be  company  for  the  fellow  who  happens 
to  have  the  watch,"  responded  Harry,  "but  I 
don 't  think  you  ought  to  be  obliged  to  stay  there 
any  oftener  than  your  regular  day;  do  you, 
boys?" 

"No,  no!"  all  heartily  declared,  and  so 
Hunt's  proposition  was  unanimously  adopted. 

He  went  back  to  the  tents  to  remain  there 
until  night,  while  the  others  got  their  rods  and 
guns  for  the  day's  sports. 

Ben  and  Ed  Willis  decided  to  take  the  yawl, 
and  drop  down  the  stream  for  fishing;  Frank 
Reynolds  and  Fred  Williams  took  their  guns 
and  went  up  the  shore  of  the  lake  looking  for 
birds;  while  Tom  and  Harry  took  their  rifles 


THE  SMASHED  BOAT  105 

and  struck  off  across  the  hills  in  search  of 
larger  game. 

At  noon,  however,  all  were  back  in  camp,  each 
laden  with  some  booty  as  a  proof  of  his  prowess. 

Ben  and  Ed  brought  fifteen  trout,  the  small- 
est not  under  a  pound  in  weight,  while  one 
pulled  the  spring  scales  down  to  the  four-pound 
notch.  Fred  and  Frank  brought  in  a  half-dozen 
snipe  and  a  large  black  gander,  which,  as  they 
termed  it,  persisted  in  getting  in  front  of  their 
guns ;  while  Tom  and  Harry  proudly  held  up  a 
twenty-pound  wildcat,  and  had  a  stirring  story 
to  tell  of  their  fight  with  him  and  his  mate, 
which,  though  wounded,  had  escaped. 

Soon  the  snipe  and  several  of  the  fish  were 
broiling  for  dinner,  and  with  appetites  made 
keen  by  the  bracing  air  and  healthful  exercise, 
the  lads  attacked  them  as  soon  as  they  were 
done. 

In  the  midst  of  their  feasting  and  merry- 
making Ben,  who  sat  facing  the  falls,  suddenly 
cried  out:     " Look  there!" 

His  companions  glanced  around  and  saw  their 
sharpie,  which  they  had  left  high  and  dry  upon 
the  pebbly  beach  of  the  lake  only  a  few  hours 
before,  sweeping  down  with  the  swift  current 
toward  the  precipice.  The  next  instant  it 
plunged  over  into  the  rocky  abyss  twenty  feet 


106  THE  CRUISE  OF  THE  FIREFLY 

below.  Striking  stern  first,  the  frail  craft  fell 
forward  its  whole  length  with  a  violent  crash, 
and  was  stoven  into  a  dozen  pieces,  which  floated 
swiftly  down  the  running  stream. 

The  boat  had  hardly  struck  when  Harry  Wal- 
lace leaped  to  his  feet. 

"That  sharpie  never  came  over  those  falls 
without  help ! ' '  was  his  cry,  and  then  he  dashed 
up  the  bank  toward  the  lake. 


CHAPTER  XI 

THE  DESPOILED  TENTS 

IN  ANOTHER  minute  the  lad  paused  upon 
the  shore  of  the  lake,  eagerly  scanning  its 
tranquil  surface,  but  not  a  single  person 
was  in  sight. 

The  sparkling  water  rushed  through  the  nar- 
row passageway  which  led  over  the  falls  with 
its  usual  impetuosity,  and  Harry  realized  at 
once  that  for  any  boat  to  enter  there  meant  its 
sure  destruction.  Whoever  was  instrumental, 
therefore,  in  sending  the  sharpie  down  that 
swift  current  must  have  been  careful  not  to 
allow  himself  to  approach  near  enough  to  the 
narrows  to  be  swept  over  the  precipice. 

Off  toward  the  big  island,  and  further  up  the 
lake,  among  the  numerous  islets,  aquatic  birds 
of  various  kinds  were  swimming  or  feeding 
quietly.  Evidently  they  had  not  been  disturbed 
recently  by  the  passing  of  any  boat  hastening 
to  the  cover  of  some  one  of  the  adjacent  woody 
nooks.  He  must  look,  then,  for  traces  of  the 
miscreants  along  the  shore. 

107 


108  THE  CRUISE  OF  THE  FIREFLY 

His  eye  ran  quickly  over  the  spot  where  the 
boat  had  been  left  that  morning,  and  along  the 
pebbly  beach  toward  the  narrows  at  the  head 
of  the  falls,  but  not  a  mark  or  track  did  he  dis- 
cover that  indicated  the  presence  of  man. 

"It's  strange,"  he  muttered  aloud. 

"What's  strange?"  asked  Tom  Sexsmith, 
who  at  this  moment,  accompanied  by  three  of 
the  other  lads,  arrived  upon  the  scene. 

Harry  pointed  out  the  signs  he  had  noted,  and 
the  conclusions  he  had  drawn. 

"That  boat  didn't  turn  over  and  jump  into 
the  lake  itself,"  he  continued;  "nor  was  there 
time  for  a  boat  to  get  under  the  shelter  of  those 
islands  before  I  reached  here.  How,  then,  was 
it  sent  over  the  falls?" 

"Two  fellows  could  have  lifted  the  sharpie 
up,  set  it  into  the  water,  and,  pulling  it  to  the 
narrows,  pushed  it  out  from  the  shore  far 
enough  for  the  current  to  catch  it,  and  the  work 
was  done,"  suggested  Tom  promptly. 

Without  a  word  Harry  started  down  the  shore 
toward  the  falls,  and  was  immediately  followed 
by  his  companions. 

Arriving  at  the  point  a  little  in  advance  of 
the  others,  he  suddenly  sprang  forward  and 
picked  up  a  pocket  handkerchief,  which  lay  in 
plain  sight  upon  the  beach. 


THE  DESPOILED  TENTS  109 

"Here  is  a  clew  to  tlie  rascals,"  he  cried  ex- 
ultingly,  and  holding  up  the  object  so  that  his 
friends  could  see  it. 

They  quickly  gathered  about  him  and  exam- 
ined the  piece  of  linen  with  great  curiosity. 

It  was  plain  white,  and  neatly  folded,  but 
coarse  and  inexpensive,  and  without  a  distin- 
guishing mark  of  any  kind. 

'  *  That  proves  it  isn  't  Indians  who  have  been 
cutting  up  these  pranks,  anyway!"  exclaimed 
Frank  Reynolds  when  the  examination  was 
over. 

"Yes,  and  the  owner  can't  be  far  away,  boys; 
let's  search  for  him,"  called  out  Tom  Sexsmith 
excitedly. 

The  lads  now  scattered  among  the  surround- 
ing shrubbery,  and  for  some  minutes  looked 
eagerly  around  for  the  person  or  persons  who 
they  knew  must  have  been  in  that  locality  a  brief 
time  before,  but  at  last  they  were  compelled  to 
abandon  the  search  as  hopeless. 

On  their  return  to  the  camp,  they  showed  the 
strange  handkerchief  to  Ben  and  Rob  Hunt. 

"The  mystery  is  beginning  to  unravel  al- 
ready," was  Ben's  remark;  "we  now  know,  as 
I  have  suspected,  that  there  is  another  camping 
party  here. ' ' 


110  THE  CRUISE  OF  THE  FIREFLY 

"Who  can  they  be?"  asked  several  in  amaze- 
ment. 

"I  can  only  give  you  the  slightest  clew,"  an- 
swered Ben.  "Don't  you  remember  that  down 
at  the  landing  I  asked  McPherson  if  there  had 
been  many  parties  up  here  lately,  and  he  said 
none  except  a  yawl  full  of  young  fellows  that 
had  passed  there  two  days  before  we  had  come 
up  here  f ' ' 

"Yes,"  replied  his  companions,  a  flood  of 
light  breaking  upon  them. 

"Well,"  went  on  Ben,  "they  must  be  here. 
As  they  had  nothing  but  a  yawl,  they  could 
easily  carry  it  around  the  falls,  and  are  now 
probably  camping  either  upon  one  of  the  islands 
of  the  lake,  or  in  some  nook  along  the  shore. 
They  noticed  our  arrival,  and  it  is  to  them 
Harry  owes  his  ducking  and  the  smashing  of 
my  boat." 

' '  But  what  in  the  world  do  they  want  to  treat 
us  in  this  sneaking  way  for?"  asked  the  wrath- 
ful Harry.  "We  haven't  harmed  them,  and 
there 's  room  enough  for  both  parties  up  here. ' ' 

"So  it  seems  to  us,"  replied  Ben,  "but  for 
some  reason  they  seem  to  think  not.  What  that 
reason  is  I  don't  know;  but  we've  only  to  wait, 
and  we  shall  find  that  out  too. ' ' 


THE  DESPOILED  TENTS  111 

" Meantime  they'll  destroy  everything  we've 
got,"  cried  Fred  Williams  in  disgust. 

"No  they  won't,"  responded  Ben  decidedly. 
"Whoever  they  are,  we  ought  to  be  sharp 
enough  to  look  out  for  our  own  property,  now 
that  we  know  it  is  in  danger,  and  outwit  them 
at  every  point." 

"That's  so,"  put  in  Harry  with  his  usual 
energy;  "we  want  to  keep  a  strict  watch  over 
the  camp,  the  boats,  and  the  lake,  night  and  day, 
until  those  fellows  are  discovered.  It  ought 
not  to  take  us  very  long,  after  all,  to  run  them 
down,  for  you  see  they  can't  fish  in  the  open 
lake,  or  fire  a  gun,  or  do  much  cooking  in  their 
camp,  without  giving  themselves  away.  When 
we've  found  out  who  they  are,  and  their  motive 
in  acting  as  they  do  toward  us,  we  can  tell  bet- 
ter what  we  '11  do  to  them. ' ' 

All  saw  the  wisdom  of  this  advice,  and  it  was 
promptly  adopted. 

The  camp  and  lake  were  kept  under  strict 
surveillance  that  afternoon,  and  dividing  the 
night  into  three  watches  of  four  hours  each, 
Harry,  Tom  and  Fred  Williams  took  turns  in 
keeping  guard  until  morning.  Nothing  suspi- 
cious, however,  was  seen  or  heard. 

It  was  now  Ben's  turn  to  remain  at  the  camp 
for  the  day,  and  he  determined  not  to  go  out  of 


112  THE  CRUISE  OF  THE  FIREFLY 

sight  of  it  for  a  moment.  His  companions, 
moreover,  planned  their  own  sports  so  as  to 
keep  watch  of  the  lake  and  its  surrounding 
shores. 

Harry  and  Tom  were  set  across  the  pool,  and, 
with  their  guns,  went  among  the  hills  on  that 
side  as  if  to  hunt  for  birds,  but  in  reality  to 
search  for  the  hidden  camp. 

The  other  boys  then  carried  the  yawl  up  to 
the  lake,  where  Bob  Hunt  and  Ed  Willis  em- 
barked for  a  fishing  and  inspecting  tour  among 
the  islands;  while  Fred  Williams  and  Frank 
Reynolds,  with  their  guns,  went  along  the  west 
shore,  and  among  the  neighboring  spurs  in 
quest,  as  they  facetiously  termed  it,  "of  either 
beasts,  birds  or  men." 

Noon  came,  and  brought  all  the  lads  back  to 
the  encampment,  not  without  some  proofs  that 
their  trip  had  been  fruitful,  but  without  having 
discovered  anything  that  revealed  either  the 
identity  or  the  whereabouts  of  those  for  whom 
they  had  been  searching. 

The  day  was  a  hot  one,  and  for  several  hours 
after  dinner  the  boys  remained  at  the  tents, 
their  chief  theme  of  conversation  while  they 
rested  being  the  mystery  that  so  persistently 
baffled  them. 

Toward  night  the  yawl  was  again  carried  up 


THE  DESPOILED  TENTS  113 

to  the  lake,  and  Tom  and  Harry  went  beyond 
the  great  island  to  try  their  luck  at  pickereling, 
while  the  other  lads  took  a  bucket  and  went  over 
to  a  mountain  spur  a  half-mile  away,  where 
Frank  and  Fred  had  discovered  during  their 
morning  tramp  a  large  tract  of  luscious  blue- 
berries. 

Left  alone,  Ben  sat  down  at  the  door  of  the 
larger  tent,  and  was  soon  absorbed  in  a  book 
Harry  had  loaned  him.  Suddenly  he  heard  a 
startling  cry  from  down  the  stream:  "Help! 
Help!" 

He  listened  intently,  and  quickly  heard  it 
again,  though  more  faintly:     "Help!  Help!" 

Without  stopping  to  think  that  none  of  his 
own  comrades  had  gone  in  that  direction,  he 
seized  his  crutches  and  hobbled  rapidly  off 
toward  the  place,  from  which  the  call  came 
again  and  again. 

The  mountain  spur  below  the  pool  forced  him 
to  make  quite  a  detour,  and  the  underbrush  hin- 
dered his  rapid  advance,  but  at  last  he  reached 
the  bank  of  the  stream  below  the  rapids,  and 
paused  to  listen  for  the  distressing  cry. 

No  sound  other  than  that  of  the  gurgling 
brook  reached  him,  and  he  called  out  several 
times:     "Who  are  you?     Where  are  you?" 

Eeceiving  no  answer,  it  finally  flashed  upon 

8 


114  THE  CRUISE  OF  THE  FIREFLY 

him  that  the  cry  was  a  ruse  to  attract  him  away 
from  the  tents.  Startled  by  the  thought,  he 
turned  about  and  retreated  his  steps  as  fast  as 
possible. 

It  took  him  some  minutes,  however,  to  return ; 
and  when  he  again  came  in  sight  of  the  encamp- 
ment he  stopped  in  sheer  dismay. 

The  tents  were  down,  and  boxes,  goods  and 
utensils  were  scattered  about  in  the  wildest  dis- 
order. 


CHAPTER  XII 

THE  LOUP-CERVIERS 

ONLY  for  a  moment  did  Cripple  Ben  stand 
gazing  at  the  despoiled  camp;  then  he 
rapidly  crossed  the  clearing,  and  clam- 
bered up  the  bank  to  the  shore  of  the  lake. 

Drawing  a  small  whistle  from  his  pocket,  he 
blew  three  short,  shrill  blasts.  It  was  the  sig- 
nal agreed  upon  by  the  members  of  the  camping 
party  should  any  occasion  arise  for  calling  the 
absent  ones  to  the  tents. 

Hardly  had  the  last  note  died  away  among 
the  surrounding  hills  when,  from  behind  the 
island,  came  three  keen  whistles  in  return,  and 
two  minutes  later  the  yawl  dashed  in  sight, 
driven  by  the  powerful  strokes  for  which  Tom 
and  Harry  were  already  famous. 

It  did  not  need  Ben's  beckoning  hand  to  has- 
ten them  on ;  they  were  coming  at  their  highest 
speed,  and  in  an  almost  incredibly  short  space 
of  time  the  boat  touched  the  beach,  and  the 
occupants,  leaping  ashore,  asked  simultane- 
ously : 

115 


116  THE  CRUISE  OF  THE  FIREFLY 

"What  has  happened,  Ben?" 

"Those  rascals  have  gone  through  the 
camp  ! ' '  was  the  startling  reply. 

"Gone  through  the  camp!"  exclaimed  both 
lads  in  amazement ;  i  i  and  with  you  right  there  ? 
How  did  they  do  it?" 

"I  wasn't  there,"  answered  Ben  ruefully,  for 
he  was  provoked  that  he  had  allowed  himself 
to  be  outwitted ;  then  he  told  how  he  had  been 
decoyed  down  the  stream  while  the  work  of  pil- 
laging the  camp  was  going  on. 

"Never  mind,  Ben;  you  acted  from  the  best 
motives,"  Harry  said  when  the  story  was  fin- 
ished; "and  perhaps  they  haven't  carried  away 
very  much,  after  all,  for  they  had  but  a  few 
minutes  to  do  their  work  in.  We'll  soon  know 
the  worst.  Here,  Tom,  take  hold  with  me,  and 
we'll  drag  the  yawl  down  the  bank.  I  don't 
dare  leave  it  here  a  moment,  for  fear  the  rob- 
bers will  make  off  with  that." 

It  was  a  hard  job  for  the  two  boys  to  pull  the 
heavy  boat  to  the  edge  of  the  bank,  but  with  the 
little  help  Ben  could  give,  they  succeeded  in  do- 
ing it,  and  then,  with  a  couple  of  round  sticks 
for  rollers,  they  ran  it  quickly  down  to  the  en- 
campment. 

At  first  sight,  the  work  of  the  depredators 
seemed  to  have  been  thoroughly  done ;  but,  after 


THE  LOUP-CERVIERS  117 

a  little  inspection,  the  lads  concluded  there  was 
nothing  of  special  value  missing. 

The  tent  ropes,  moreover,  had  simply  been 
untied,  and  the  canvas  of  each  allowed  to  col- 
lapse over  the  place  where  it  was  pitched,  with 
the  greater  part  of  its  contents  under  it. 

The  articles  strewn  about  the  camp-ground 
were  only  such  as  had  been  most  accessible  to 
the  intruders;  and  indeed  the  longer  the  boys 
went  on  with  their  task  of  restoring  the  camp 
to  order,  the  more  evident  it  became  that  no 
particular  harm  had  been  done  to  their  outfit, 
and  they  could  think  of  no  other  reason  for  the 
act  of  their  unknown  visitors  than  the  desire  to 
annoy  them. 

Before  the  tents  had  been  fully  set  to  rights, 
the  other  lads  returned  from  their  berrying  trip, 
bringing  with  them  a  pailful  of  delicious  fruit. 

When  they  learned  of  the  last  trick  of  their 
mysterious  rivals,  their  indignation  knew  no 
bounds,  and  they  not  only  expressed  their  opin- 
ion of  those  who  would  stoop  to  so  mean  an 
act,  but  accompanied  those  expressions  with 
some  strong  threats,  which,  if  they  could  have 
been  carried  out,  would  have  made  it  unpleas- 
ant for  the  perpetrators.  It  was  perhaps  well 
that  with  their  usual  good  fortune  they  had  es- 
caped. 


118  THE  CRUISE  OF  THE  FIREFLY 

When,  however,  their  wrath  had  subsided, 
Eob  Hunt  asked : 

"  Are  you  sure  nothing  has  been  taken  V9 

"Quite  sure,"  replied  Harry  Wallace;  "we 
thought  at  first  the  guns  had  been  carried  off, 
but  found  them  tucked  under  the  blankets  and 
among  the  hemlock  boughs.  Our  oil-stove  was 
put  into  our  stone  fire-place,  and  the  other  uten- 
sils scattered  around ;  but  all  I  believe  are  here. 
At  least  I  can't  think  of  anything  we  haven't 
found;  can  you,  Tom  or  Ben?" 

The  former  shook  his  head,  but  the  latter  re- 
plied with  a  peculiar  smile : 

"I  have  missed  two  things  from  the  very  first, 
and  have  wondered  how  long  it  would  be  before 
the  rest  of  you  would  notice  their  absence. ' ' 

' '  Two  things  ! ' '  exclaimed  his  hearers,  glanc- 
ing around.     ' '  What  are  they ! ' ' 

"The  banners,"  he  replied  with  an  emphasis 
as  peculiar  as  the  smile  he  had  shown  a  mo- 
ment before. 

' '  The  banners ! ' '  echoed  his  comrades  in  con- 
sternation. Not  one  of  them  thought  of  the 
flags  until  then,  but  they  now  realized  that  the 
silk  pennants  which  had  been  floating  proudly 
over  their  tents  were  indeed  gone,  and  the  most 
careful  search  for  the  next  half-hour  failed  to 
show  the  place  of  their  concealment. 


THE  LOUP-CERVIERS  119 

"What  do  you  think  has  become  of  theni, 
Ben?"  Harry  finally  asked. 

' '  Carried  off, ' '  replied  Ben  laconically. 

"But  why  should  they  have  been  carried 
away,  while  everything  else  is  left?"  inquired 
Harry  in  surprise. 

"Because  they  were  what  the  fellows  were 
after,"  answered  the  crippled  lad  significantly. 

"I  don't  understand  you,  Ben,"  Harry  re- 
marked a  little  impatiently,  while  the  other  boys, 
attracted  by  the  conversation,  crowded  about 
the  two. 

"I  mean  that  the  absence  of  the  banners, 
proves  who  our  visitors  are,  and  leaves  but  one 
question  for  us  to  settle — that  of  their  where- 
abouts," Ben  explained. 

"Who  are  they?"  questioned  Harry,  still 
failing  to  see  what  Ben  was  driving  at. 

"The  Melrose  High  School  Boat  Club,"  was 
the  answer. 

Had  a  thunder-clap  broken  above  the  camp 
a  more  impressive  silence  could  not  have  fol- 
lowed. 

It  was  brief,  however. 

"How  did  they  get  here?" 

"What  possessed  them  to  come?" 

"How  did  they  know  where  we  were  going?" 

These,  and  a  dozen  similar  questions,  greeted 


120  THE  CRUISE  OF  THE  FIREFLY 

Ben's  announcement  as  soon  as  his  companions 
recovered  from  the  astonishment  into  which 
they  were  thrown. 

He  answered  them  all  in  three  sentences : 

1  i  They  wanted  the  flags.  It  was  easy  enough 
for  them  to  find  out  where  we  were  going;  and 
by  taking  the  cars  to  Halifax,  and  thence  to 
Annapolis,  they  got  in  ahead  of  us." 

A  chorus  of  exclamations  and  comments  were 
now  poured  forth  by  all  but  Harry  Wallace ;  he 
lapsed  into  silence,  and  seemed  lost  in  thought. 
But  when  appealed  to  by  the  others  for  his  opin- 
ion of  Ben's  remarkable  assertion,  he  said: 

"He  is  right,  as  usual.  This  explains  all  the 
tricks  played  upon  us,  and  the  reason  for  them. 
But,  dropping  all  that  now,  we  have  a  work  be- 
fore us  to  which  our  sports  for  the  time  must 
give  way. ' ' 

"What's  that?"  asked  all. 

"To  recover  those  banners,"  he  said  with  de- 
cision. 

"We  must  find  them  first,"  suggested  Tom 
Sexsmith,  with  one  of  his  droll  grimaces. 

"Exactly,"  responded  Harry  with  a  laugh; 
* '  and  to-morrow  morning  we  '11  begin  our  search. 
It  is  Eeynolds's  turn  to  take  charge  here,  and 
as  the  rest  of  us  will  be  gone  all  day,  it  will  be 


THE  LOUP-CERVIERS  121 

too  bad  to  leave  him  alone,  so  I'll  ask  Williams 
to  stay  here  with  him. ' ' 

"Then  Ben  and  Tom,  Ed,  Kob  and  myself, 
will  take  the  yawl  and  make  a  tour  of  the  lake, 
calling  at  every  island  large  enough  to  conceal 
a  tent  If  we  reach  the  head  of  the  lake  with- 
out finding  the  hidden  camp,  we'll  divide  up: 
two  will  land  on  one  side  of  the  inlet,  two  upon 
the  other,  and  follow  the  shore  around  until  we 
meet  at  the  falls,  while  Ben  rows  the  boat." 

This  plan,  after  some  discussion,  was 
adopted,  and  carried  out  in  detail  the  next  day. 

Leaving  Fred  and  Frank  in  the  camp,  with 
strict  orders  that  at  no  time  should  both  be  ab- 
sent from  it,  the  other  five  embarked  in  the  yawl 
and  rowed  directly  over  to  the  large  island. 
Landing  there,  they  searched  it  from  one  end  to 
the  other,  but  found  no  trace  of  an  encampment. 

As  they  were  about  to  depart,  Rob  Hunt  re- 
marked : 

"I  tell  you,  boys,  if  we'd  only  made  our  camp 
here  at  the  outset,  as  I  suggested,  instead  of 
down  at  the  pool,  we  shouldn't  now  be  minus 
one  of  our  boats  and  both  of  our  banners;  for 
no  one  could  then  have  attempted  either  of  the 
tricks  that  has  been  played  on  us  without  giving 
himself  dead  away." 

"I  know  it,"  Ben  quickly  answered,  "and 


122  THE  CRUISE  OF  THE  FIREFLY 

with  the  launch  here,  we  should  have  had  full 
command  of  the  lake,  with  every  advantage  over 
our  rivals.  I  think  that  the  wisest  thing  for  us 
to  do  is  to  give  up  this  trip,  and  find  some  way 
of  moving  our  whole  outfit  to  this  place. " 

Harry  shook  his  head. 

"No,"  he  said,  "we'll  go  on.  I'm  anxious 
to  locate  those  fellows  before  they  can  destroy 
or  make  off  with  the  flags.  After  we've  done 
that  we'll  see  about  taking  possession  of  the 
island.  " 

Their  journey  was  therefore  resumed.  From 
isle  to  isle  they  went,  encircling  all,  and  stop- 
ping at  every  one  large  enough  to  hide  an  en- 
campment ;  but  when  noon  came  the  head  of  the 
lake  was  reached,  and  no  trace  of  their  hidden 
foe  had  been  found. 

Landing  now  upon  the  right  bank  of  the 
stream,  that  here  poured  into  the  lake,  they  ate 
the  dinner  they  had  brought  with  them;  then 
Harry  and  Tom  were  set  across  to  the  left  bank, 
while  Eob  and  Ed  remained  upon  the  right,  and 
their  long  tramp  down  the  opposite  shores  be- 
gan. Meantime,  Ben  entered  the  yawl  and 
pulled  leisurely  back  to  the  lower  end  of  the 
body  of  water  to  wait  for  his  comrades  when 
they  arrived  there. 

Harry  had  chosen  the  north  and  west  shores 


THE  LOUP-CERVIERS  123 

for  Tom  and  himself  for  two  reasons :  the  shape 
of  the  lake  made  this  the  longest  route  to  the 
falls;  then,  too,  since  their  search  had  proved 
that  the  other  camp  was  not  upon  one  of  the 
islands,  he  believed  it  was  hidden  somewhere 
among  the  spurs  upon  this  side. 

For  some  way  their  course  led  through  heavy 
woods,  where  the  ground  was  comparatively 
level,  and  they  made  rapid  progress.  Then 
they  came  to  a  mountain  spur,  which  rose 
abruptly  out  of  the  water,  compelling  them 
either  to  climb  up  its  rugged  side  or  make  a 
long  detour  around  it. 

They  decided  upon  the  former,  and  slowly 
made  their  way  to  its  summit,  where  they 
stopped  a  few  minutes  to  rest,  and  to  look  about 
them. 

In  front  was  an  extensive  view  of  the  sheet 
of  water,  and  the  hills  and  valleys  of  the  oppo- 
site shore;  to  the  left  was  the  sloping  hillside 
and  heavy  woodland  through  which  they  had 
just  come ;  to  the  right,  and  in  the  direction  that 
they  were  soon  to  take,  was  a  sharp  descent  into 
a  narrow  and  secluded  valley.  Beyond  this  was 
another  spur,  not  as  high  as  that  upon  which 
they  stood,  and  over  whose  top  they  could  look 
into  a  second  vale,  where  they  caught  sight  of 


124  THE  CRUISE  OF  THE  FIREFLY 

a  considerable  brook  that  coursed  downward 
into  the  lake. 

From  among  the  trees  on  its  banks  a  thin 
column  of  smoke  was  slowly  rising.  The  mo- 
ment Harry  detected  it,  he  grasped  Tom's  arm, 
saying: 

"  There  is  the  tent  for  which  we  are  search- 
ing!    Come  on!" 

Down  the  side  of  the  spur  the  lads  dashed, 
and  reaching  its  foot,  started  across  the  ravine 
to  the  opposite  hill. 

As  they  began  the  ascent,  a  sudden  growl 
from  a  clump  of  bushes  in  front  arrested  their 
steps,  and  the  next  moment  a  loup-cervier,  or 
Canada  lynx,  with  glaring  eyes  and  bristling 
back,  sprang  out  from  the  shrubbery  and  came 
bounding  toward  them. 

It  was  a  female,  and  a  low  whine  in  the  under- 
brush revealed  that  she  had  cubs,  and  accounted 
for  her  boldness  in  the  attack  she  was  about  to 
make  upon  the  intruders. 

■  The  boys  had  nothing  but  their  shot-guns,  and 
before  they  could  swing  these  forward  for  use  a 
savage  growl  above  their  heads  caused  them  to 
glance  in  that  direction. 

To  their  alarm,  they  saw  the  male  lynx 
crouching  for  a  spring  on  the  branch  of  a  large 


THE  LOUP-CERVIERS  125 

beech  not  ten  feet  away,  and  a  trifle  to  their 
rear. 

They  had  evidently  stumbled  upon  the  lair  of 
the  ferocious  pair,  and,  with  no  other  weapons 
than  their  fowling-pieces,  both  lads  knew  that 
the  outcome  of  their  inevitable  struggle  with 
the  beasts  was  uncertain. 


CHAPTER  XIII 

THE  HIDDEN  CAMP 

CRITICAL  as  was  the  situation,  Harry  did 
not  lose  his  head.  Glancing  around  for 
some  place  that  would  afford  Tom  and 
himself  an  opportunity  to  withstand  the  attack 
of  the  ferocious  pair,  his  eyes  fell  upon  a  huge 
bowlder  a  few  rods  away,  three  of  whose  sides 
were  precipitous,  while  the  other  was  sufficiently 
shelving  to  allow  an  agile  person  to  climb  to  its 
summit.  Instantly  his  plan  of  action  was 
formed. 

" Shoot  at  the  lynx  in  front  of  you,  Tom," 
he  said  in  a  steady  undertone ;  ' '  take  her  in  the 
eyes  and  blind  her,  that's  your  only  chance. 
I'll  fix  the  one  in  the  tree,  then  we'll  run  for 
that  big  rock  on  the  left.     Quick!" 

At  these  words  the  slight  flurry  that  had 
seized  Tom  on  finding  himself  surrounded  by 
the  loup-cerviers  vanished,  and  coolly  raising 
his  gun,  he  let  fly  with  both  barrels  directly  into 
the  face  of  the  animal,  that  was  already  crouch- 
ing for  her  spring. 

126 


THE  HIDDEN  CAMP  127 

The  report  of  Harry's  gun  was  like  an  echo 
to  his  own,  and  then,  without  stopping  to  see 
the  result  of  their  shots,  both  rushed  for  the 
bowlder. 

They  reached  it  and  clambered  to  its  top  none 
too  soon,  for  the  male  lynx  was  already  at  their 
heels,  and  his  fierce  effort  to  climb  up  after 
them  was  only  checked  by  a  vigorous  blow  upon 
his  head  from  the  butt  of  Harry's  weapon. 

As  the  beast  slid  back  to  the  ground  he  was 
joined  by  his  mate,  and,  to  the  satisfaction  of 
the  boys,  they  now  saw  Tom's  shot  had  been 
true  to  its  mark,  and  the  animal's  eyesight  was 
destroyed.  Harry's  aim,  however,  could  not 
have  been  so  good  a  one,  for,  though  he  had 
hit  the  male,  it  was  upon  the  forehead,  and  did 
not  seriously  injure  him. 

Neither  lynx  in  fact  was  as  yet  disabled ;  for 
the  moment  the  female  joined  her  companion 
the  pair  bounded  up  the  shelving  rock,  and  as 
the  lads  had  not  time  to  put  fresh  cartridges 
into  their  guns,  they  were  compelled  to  use  them 
as  clubs. 

Swinging  them  above  their  heads,  they 
brought  them  down  upon  the  advancing  beasts 
with  a  force  that  sent  them,  partially  stunned, 
back  to  the  foot  of  the  bowlder.    Before  they 


128  THE  CRUISE  OF  THE  FIREFLY 

could  recover  sufficiently  to  renew  the  attack, 
the  boys  were  able  to  reload  their  weapons. 

As  the  loup-cerviers  again  came  up  the  rock, 
the  lads  took  careful  aim  and  fired.  Harry  shot 
at  the  male,  and  having  thrust  his  fowling-piece 
well  up  against  the  animal's  throat,  the  charges 
from  the  barrels  did  not  have  space  to  scatter. 
Like  a  solid  slug  they  were  poured  into  the 
jugular  vein  of  the  savage  beast,  and  he  rolled 
down  the  bowlder  in  his  dying  throes. 

Tom's  shot,  while  not  so  effective  as  his  com- 
rade's, broke  the  fore  leg  of  the  female  and 
inflicted  an  ugly  wound  in  her  breast ;  but  not- 
withstanding this,  she  was  upon  the  rock  the 
next  moment  snapping  savagely  at  its  occu- 
pants. 

The  top  of  the  ledge  was  comparatively  level, 
but  long  and  exceedingly  narrow,  and,  by  dodg- 
ing to  the  right  and  left,  the  boys  succeeded  in 
avoiding  her,  while  she,  in  her  effort  to  turn 
and  pursue  them,  lost  her  footing  and  went  over 
the  most  precipitous  side,  a  distance  of  twenty 
feet  and  more,  to  the  rocks  below. 

Bruised  by  the  fall,  and  bleeding  from  her 
wounds,  she  possibly  might  have  abandoned  her 
attack  and  slunk  away  with  her  cubs  through 
the  underbrush  had  not  another  intruder  upon 


THE  HIDDEN  CAMP  129 

her  rightful  domain  at  this  moment  appeared. 

This  was  no  other  than  Cripple  Ben. 

He  heard  the  first  shots  of  his  companions 
while  pulling  down  the  lake,  and  anxious  to 
know  what  they  were  firing*  at  he  turned  the 
yawl  and  ran  in  shore.  He  reached  it  just  as 
the  second  shots  of  the  lads  rang  forth  and, 
seizing  his  crutches,  he  hobbled  off  into  the 
woods  in  the  direction  of  the  sound. 

He  arrived  in  sight  of  the  bowlder  just  in 
time  to  see  the  female  lynx  come  tumbling  down 
its  side.  As  she  gathered  to  her  feet  she  heard 
his  approaching  footsteps,  and  with  a  yell  of 
rage  bounded  toward  him. 

Not  until  that  moment  were  Tom  and  Harry 
aware  of  his  coming.  They  sent  forth  a  cry  of 
fear  as  they  saw  the  maddened  beast  spring  for 
the  unarmed  and  crippled  lad ;  then  they  jumped 
to  the  ground  and  dashed  to  his  rescue. 

But  Ben  proved  he  was  quite  able  to  look  out 
for  himself.  He  noticed  the  animal  was  blind, 
and  with  a  quick  movement  threw  one  of  his 
crutches  a  few  feet  in  advance  and  to  the  left 
of  the  place  where  he  was  standing.  The  ruse 
was  successful,  for  the  loup-cervier,  doubtless 
thinking  her  new  antagonist  was  moving  in  that 
direction,  leaped  after  the  stick. 

As  she  landed  and  furiously  caught  it  be- 


130  THE  CRUISE  OF  THE  FIREFLY 

tween  her  cruel  jaws,  Ben  swung  himself  into  a 
sitting  position  just  in  front  of  her,  and,  with 
a  motion  so  rapid  as  to  be  almost  imperceptible, 
jabbed  the  small  end  of  his  remaining  crutch 
into  one  of  her  torn  and  bleeding  eyes. 

There  was  an  iron  point  upon  the  stick,  and 
the  arm  that  made  the  thrust  had  a  strength 
which  drove  the  instrument  into  the  vulnerable 
socket  to  the  depth  of  several  inches. 

In  all  probability  it  reached  the  base  of  the 
brain,  for  the  lynx,  with  a  plaintive  whine, 
stretched  herself  out  upon  the  ground,  and  after 
a  few  convulsive  shudders  expired. 

"Hurrah  for  Ben  and  his  crutch!"  shouted 
Tom  as  he  and  Harry  reached  the  victorious 
lad. 

"Even  a  crutch  is  better  than  no  weapon, 
when  you  have  to  tackle  that  kind  of  a  crea- 
ture," quietly  remarked  Ben,  as  he  extricated 
his  singular  weapon  from  the  wound,  and  picked 
up  its  mate,  to  see  if  the  loup-cervier  had  in- 
jured it  beyond  repair. 

He  found,  save  a  few  deep  punctures  from  the 
animal's  sharp  teeth,  that  it  was  as  good  as 
ever.  Supporting  himself  upon  it,  he  shook 
hands  with  the  other  lads  and  listened  to  their 
exciting  story.     He  then  explained  how  he  came 


THE  HIDDEN  CAMP  131 

to  be  there;  after  which  the  male  lynx  was 
drawn  down  beside  the  female. 

"I  tell  you,  Harry,  wouldn't  those  fellows 
look  fine  mounted  in  the  musemn  at  the  Insti- 
tute f"  said  Tom,  as  he  and  his  comrades  sur- 
veyed the  ferocious  pair. 

"Take  them  down  to  the  yawl,  and  I'll  carry 
them  to  the  falls  for  you,"  added  Ben;  "then 
we'll  see  if  we  can't  preserve  their  hides  for 
stuffing. ' ' 

"How  about  the  young  ones?"  asked  Harry, 
walking  over  to  the  thicket  where  they  were  last 
seen. 

His  companions  followed  him,  but  no  trace 
of  the  little  fellows  could  they  discover.  Evi- 
dently alarmed  at  the  fate  of  their  parents,  they 
had  made  off,  perhaps  for  their  den,  wherever 
that  was  located. 

So  the  boys  returned  to  the  large  ones  and 
dragged  their  carcasses  down  to  the  lake,  no 
great  distance  away,  and  flung  them  into  the 
boat.  Then  Ben  resumed  his  oars,  while  Tom 
and  Harry  renewed  their  search  for  the  hidden 
camp. 

"I  suspect  those  fellows  heard  our  guns," 
Harry  remarked,  as  he  and  Tom  started  for 
the  second  time  up  the  hillside. 

"That's  so,"  responded  his  comrade,  "but 


132  THE  CRUISE  OF  THE  FIREFLY 

they  can't  move  their  camp  before  we  will  be 
upon  them." 

"No;  but  some  of  them  may  come  over  this 
way  to  see  what  the  firing  was  for,  and  getting 
trace  of  us,  they  may  be  off  before  we  have  a 
chance  to  get  the  banners, ' '  suggested  Harry. 

"If  we  can  only  creep  up  to  their  encamp- 
ment undiscovered,  we'll  soon  find  out,  from 
their  conversation,  whether  they  have  taken  the 
alarm,"  replied  Tom. 

"That's  just  it,"  said  Harry  quickly;  "we 
must  learn  all  we  can  of  them  without  giving 
ourselves  away,  so  we  can't  be  too  cautious  in 
our  approach." 

Tom  readily  agreed  to  this.  They  advanced, 
therefore,  at  a  slow  pace,  pausing  every  few 
minutes  to  listen,  and  making  as  little  noise  as 
possible. 

Once  upon  the  top  of  the  hill,  they  gazed 
eagerly  off  in  the  direction  where  they  saw  the 
smoke  when  on  the  opposite  mountain  spur,  but 
none  now  appeared.  Evidently  their  rivals  had 
heard  the  guns,  and  alarmed  at  the  proximity 
of  the  sounds  had  put  out  their  fire. 

Confident,  however,  that  they  could  soon  trace 
out  the  camp,  our  friends  quietly  descended  to 
the  brook,  glimpses  of  which  they  caught 
through  the  surrounding  trees. 


THE  HIDDEN  CAMP  133 

On  arriving  at  the  stream,  they  found  it 
narrow  but  deep,  while  its  current  was  quite 
sluggish.  Pointing  out  these  facts,  Harry  said 
in  low  tones : 

"You  see,  Tom,  there's  nothing  to  hinder  a 
boat  from  coming  in  here  from  the  lake,  and 
going  up  the  brook  for  some  distance.  I  be- 
lieve that's  what  the  High  School  boys  have 
done,  and  somewhere  on  this  or  the  other  bank 
we  '11  find  their  camp. ' ' 

"Since  it's  as  likely  to  be  this  as  the  other, 
and  we  can't  cross  here  anyway,  we  may  as  well 
go  up  this  side,"  replied  Tom,  with  a  faint  at- 
tempt at  facetiousness. 

With  a  nod  of  assent,  Harry  led  the  way 
through  the  trees  that  overhung  the  creek.  A 
quarter  of  a  mile  further  they  came  to  a  pro- 
jection of  the  adjacent  hill  around  which  the 
stream  wound,  and  where  its  bank  was  high  and 
steep. 

Creeping  cautiously  to  the  top  of  this  knoll, 
the  lads  came  to  a  sudden  stop,  for  below  them 
and  not  ten  rods  away  they  saw  the  white  can- 
vas of  a  tent  and  heard  the  faint  murmuring  of 
voices. 

But  a  thick  growth  of  underbrush  along  the 
hillside  prevented  them  from  seeing  ivho  was 
in  the  camp,  and  they  were  still  too  far  off  to 


134  THE  CRUISE  OF  THE  FIREFLY 

distinguish  what  its  occupants  were  saying;  so, 
after  a  whispered  consultation,  they  decided  to 
crawl,  under  the  cover  of  the  shrubbery,  near 
enough  to  ascertain  these  two  facts. 

It  was  a  difficult  task,  but  they  had  nearly  ac- 
complished it  when  they  were  startled  by  steps 
coming  hurriedly  toward  them.  Then  a  voice 
that  they  recognized  as  Eeed  Jones's  said,  with 
a  distinctness  which  showed  he  could  not  be 
more  than  a  few  feet  away : 

"I  thought  I  heard  some  one  coming  down 
the  hill,  boys.  I  tell  you,  we've  got  to  be  care- 
ful, or  those  fellows  will  be  on  us  before  we 
can  get  out  of  this. ' ' 

Then,  by  the  sounds  that  reached  the  con- 
cealed lads,  they  knew  several  of  his  companions 
had  joined  him,  and  it  was  apparent  that  a  sys- 
tematic search  of  the  hillside  was  to  be  made  at 
once. 

Crouching  low,  under  a  heavy  mountain 
laurel,  our  young  friends  waited  with  bated 
breath,  knowing  they  might  be  discovered  at 
any  moment. 


CHAPTER  XIV 

INTERCEPTED 

THROUGH  a  singular  yet  laughable  cir- 
cumstance, however,  the  concealed  lads 
were  not  discovered. 

Reed  Jones  had  actually  laid  his  hands  upon 
the  very  thicket  under  which  they  were  crouch- 
ing, and  was  about  to  press  aside  its  branches 
to  look  beneath  it,  when  a  loud  scream  from 
Jack  Howard  caused  him  to  abandon  his  pur- 
pose. 

Jack,  when  called  to  the  search  by  his  leader, 
had  started  to  examine  that  portion  of  the  hill- 
side bordering  upon  the  brook.  This  selection 
happened  to  take  him  near  the  place  where  the 
refuse  from  the  camp  had  been  thrown,  and  to 
his  discomfiture  a  short-legged,  heavy-bodied 
animal  feeding  there,  surprised  by  his  approach, 
darted  suddenly  between  his  legs,  throwing  him 
to  the  ground. 

Falling  heavily  upon  his  face  into  the  un- 
wholesome pile,  it  was  some  seconds  before  he 
could  scramble  to  his  feet  and  look  around  in 

135 


136  THE  CRUISE  OF  THE  FIREFLY 

search  of  the  creature  that  had  been  the  sole 
cause  of  his  unceremonious  tumble.  Then  he 
cried  out: 

"This  way,  boys!  Here's  the  intruder! 
There  he  goes  now  across  the  camp-ground! 
Confound  him,  he  tripped  me  up ! ' ' 

"Its  a  big  otter,"  exclaimed  one  of  the  other 
boys,  catching  sight  of  the  fleeing  animal. 
"Let's  capture  him!" 

There  was  immediately  a  scampering  of  feet 
in  that  direction,  and  Harry  and  Tom  arose 
from  their  recumbent  positions  in  time  to  see 
all  the  occupants  of  the  rival  camp  dash  away 
up  the  ravine  in  hot  pursuit  of  the  beast  which, 
by  his  opportune  appearance,  had  saved  them 
from  discovery. 

"Do  you  suppose  the  banners  are  in  the 
tent?"  asked  Harry  in  suppressed  excitement 
the  instant  the  last  one  of  the  pursuing  boys 
had  disappeared  in  the  shrubbery.  "If  so, 
now's  our  chance  to  recover  them." 

"I'm  with  you  to  find  out,"  responded  Tom 
heartily,  "but  after  seeing  about  the  flag  what's 
to  hinder  our  getting  into  their  yawl  and  drop- 
ping down  to  the  lake?  It'll  be  a  sight  easier 
than  to  tramp  around  to  the  falls,  and  will  make 
amends  for  the  boat  they've  destroyed." 

Harry  resolutely  shook  his  head. 


INTERCEPTED  137 


i  i 


No,"  lie  said,  "we'll  touch  nothing  that 
doesn't  belong  to  us;  and  having  secured  the 
banners  our  trouble  with  these  fellows  will  be 
over,  for  we'll  take  care  they  don't  interfere 
with  us  again.  Quick  now,  before  they  can  come 
back!" 

With  noiseless  tread  the  two  lads  stepped  out 
into  the  little  glade  and  hastened  over  to  the 
tent.  They  found  it  a  small  affair,  not  over 
eight  by  ten  feet  in  size,  and  they  could  not 
help  wondering  how  six  boys  found  it  large 
enough  to  afford  them  shelter. 

The  explanation  came  as  soon  as  they  looked 
inside ;  the  inclosed  ground  was  completely  cov- 
ered with  hemlock  boughs,  and  evidently  was 
merely  used  for  sleeping  purposes.  This  view 
was  confirmed  by  their  finding  the  camp  utensils 
and  supplies,  meagre  at  the  best,  packed  up  at 
the  south  side  of  the  structure. 

But  the  banners  for  which  the  boys  had  come 
were  nowhere  to  be  seen,  and  the  most  careful 
search  within  and  without  the  tent  failed  to  dis- 
close them. 

Warned  at  length  by  the  approaching  steps 
of  the  absent  campers  that  they  must  be  going, 
they,  chagrined  at  the  fruitlessness  of  their 
search,  fled  back  to  the  cover  of  the  surround- 
ing trees. 


138  THE  CRUISE  OF  THE  FIREFLY 

Pausing  among  the  bushes  long  enough  to  as- 
certain from  the  conversation  of  the  returning 
lads  that,  while  they  had  failed  to  catch  the 
otter,  they  nevertheless  attributed  to  him  the 
sounds  they  had  heard  upon  the  hillside,  Harry 
and  Tom  then  crept  cautiously  over  the  spur 
and  down  into  the  adjoining  valley. 

From  this  point  by  a  long  detour  they  de- 
scended the  stream  far  enough  to  effect  a  cross- 
ing, and  thence  passed  over  the  hills  on  that 
side  to  the  falls,  where  they  found  not  only  Crip- 
ple Ben,  but  their  two  comrades  who  had  re- 
turned by  the  northern  border  of  the  lake,  wait- 
ing for  them. 

"Hello!  there  is  Tom  and  Harry!" 

"What  luck,  boys?" 

"Better  than  we've  had,  I  hope." 

These  were  the  salutations  that  greeted  the 
new-comers,  and  to  which  they  simultaneously 
replied : 

"Well,  we've  found  the  other  camp." 

The  cheers  that  followed  this  announcement 
speedily  brought  the  two  boys  who  had  been 
left  in  charge  of  the  encampment  to  the  scene. 
Learning  the  cause  of  their  companions '  exhila- 
ration they  joined  with  them  most  vociferously, 
until  Bob  Hunt  found  breath  to  say: 

"Give  us  the  points,  Harry!" 


INTERCEPTED  139 

1 1  Wait  until  we  reach  the  tent, ' '  he  answered ; 
and  then  Tom  and  he  helped  the  others  carry 
the  dead  lynxes  and  the  yawl  down  the  slope 
to  the  camp,  after  which  they  related  the  cir- 
cumstances under  which  the  hiding  place  of 
their  rivals  had  been  discovered,  and  how  they 
had  actually  visited  the  tent  in  search  of  the 
missing  banners. 

"  Baffled  in  this  attempt  to  recover  them,  what 
course  shall  we  now  take?"  asked  Harry  when 
the  story  in  all  its  details  had  been  told. 

"Let  us  lie  in  wait,  and  clean  them  out  of 
boat,  tent,  and  everything  else  we  can  get  hold 
of, ' '  exclaimed  Ed  Willis,  rubbing  his  hands  in 
a  way  that  indicated  he  was  fairly  aching  for 
a  job  of  that  kind.  "Then  they'll  be  glad  to 
return  the  banners  for  enough  to  take  them  out 
of  this  howling  wilderness. " 

The  flushed  cheeks  of  the  other  lads  revealed 
their  approval  of  this  plan. 

"We  might  do  something  in  that  way,  I  ad- 
mit,'J  Harry  replied,  looking  anxiously  around 
at  his  excited  comrades;  "but  I  tell  you,  boys, 
I  hate  to  undertake  anything  as  mean  as  that. 
You  know  the  doctor  urged  us  to  do  nothing 
that  would  disgrace  the  banners,  and  for  my- 
self I'd  rather  lose  them  than  show  a  spirit  of 


140  THE  CRUISE  OF  THE  FIREFLY 

retaliation  towards  those  fellows,  much  as  they 
may  deserve  it." 

This  noble  sentiment  was  not  without  its 
effect  upon  his  hearers. 

"We  might  row  boldly  up  to  their  camp  and 
demand  the  flags,"  suggested  Fred  Williams. 
"Perhaps  when  they  find  out  we  know  they  are 
here  they'll  restore  them  rather  than  have  us 
report  them  at  Melrose." 

"Don't  you  flatter  yourself  on  any  such  freak 
of  good-will  as  that,"  put  in  Tom  Sexsmith. 
"Reed  Jones  and  Jack  Howard  aren't  kittens, 
to  be  frightened  away  at  our  approach.  Much 
as  they  would  like  to  avoid  us,  they  are  prepared 
for  just  such  a  move  on  our  part.  The  absence 
of  the  banners  from  their  camp  proves  that,  and 
they'd  defy  us  to  our  faces  if  we  called  on  them 
with  any  such  demand." 

"Couldn't  we  by  watching  them  find  out 
where  they  had  hidden  the  flags,  and  so  re- 
cover them?"  asked  Frank  Reynolds. 

"It  might  be  done,"  assented  Harry,  slowly, 
and  with  the  air  of  one  who  was  not  altogether 
pleased  with  the  project. 

' '  But  it  would  be  better  to  have  them  return 
the  banners  of  their  own  accord,"  remarked 
Ben  at  this  point,  and  guessing  at  Harry's 
thought. 


INTERCEPTED  141 

"That's  it,"  cried  Wallace  with  animation; 
"isn't  there  some  way  we  can  bring  about  that 
very  thing?  I  should  like  to  see  them  forced 
to  give  them  up  without  a  single  dishonorable 
act  on  our  part,  or  what  would  be  better,  I'd 
like  to  see  their  spite  changed  by  our  kindness 
to  good  feeling,  and  have  them  surrender  the 
flags  from  very  shame." 

"I  guess  you  intend  to  stay  here  some  time, 
or  else  go  home  without  your  banners,"  said 
Tom  Sexsmith  dryly,  and  with  an  expressive 
shrug  of  his  broad  shoulders.  As  for  the  other 
lads,  they,  with  the  exception  of  Ben,  stared  at 
their  leader  as  though  they  were  not  quite  sure 
that  he  had  not  lost  his  senses.  The  cripple, 
however,  taking  up  Tom's  remark,  replied  in 
that  singular  quietness  of  tone  which  was  char- 
acteristic of  him. 

"Don't  be  so  sure  about  that,  Sexsmith.  Be- 
fore we  give  up  this  idea,  I  say,  'Let  us  take 
account  of  stock,'  "  and  placing  the  forefinger 
of  his  right  hand  on  the  palm  of  his  left,  as 
though  about  to  write  down  each  item,  he  went 
on: 

"We  know  our  banners  are  gone.  We  know 
the  Melrose  High  School  crew  is  in  hiding  here. 
We  know  from  their  camping  outfit  that  they 
are  prepared  only  for  a  brief  stay.     We  know 


142  THE  CRUISE  OF  THE  FIREFLY 

from  their  overheard  conversation  that  they  are 
getting  restless  under  their  self-imposed  con- 
cealment, and  are  anxious  to  be  off  at  the 
earliest  moment. 

"Froni  these  facts  may  we  not  conclude  that 
they  came  here  on  purpose  to  run  off  with  the 
flags,  and  therefore,  having  now  got  possession 
of  them,  the  very  worst  misfortune  that  could 
befall  them  would  be  for  them  not  to  be  able  to 
carry  them  away. 

"It  strikes  me,  then,  that  if  we  only  play  our 
cards  rightly,  they  have  got  themselves  into  an 
awful  box.  Had  they  followed  us  up,  and 
camped  somewhere  on  the  stream  below  us,  they 
might  have  taken  the  banners,  and  made  off 
with  them  without  leaving  a  trace  behind.  But 
as  it  is,  we  are  now  between  them  and  their  only 
avenue  of  escape. 

"Their  yawl  is  too  heavy  for  them  to  carry 
over  the  hills,  and  to  reach  the  river  they  must 
pass  down  either  on  this  or  on  the  other  side  of 
the  falls.  But  by  right  management  we  ought 
to  be  able  to  prevent  that,  and  every  day  of  their 
delay  makes  their  condition  worse.  Confined 
to  their  narrow  ravine,  unable  to  hunt  or  fish 
much,  without  giving  themselves  away,  it  ought 
not  to  be  a  very  long  time  before  they  offer  to 
make  terms  with  us. 


INTERCEPTED  143 

' c  There  certainly  will  be  nothing  dishonorable 
in  this  course,  and  it  may  be  special  circum- 
stances will  arise  to  effect  just  such  a  recon- 
ciliation as  Harry  has  wished  for.  As  I  said 
about  our  finding  out  who  the  real  culprits 
were,  so  I  now  say  about  our  bringing  these  fel- 
lows to  terms:  our  strongest  point  is  to  ' watch 
and  wait.'  " 

"But  to  carry  out  this  plan  successfully,  we 
ought  to  move  our  camp  to  the  big  island,  and 
have  the  launch  ready  for  instant  use  in  patroll- 
ing the  lake,"  interposed  Harry.  "With  our 
tent  here  we  guard  this  side  of  the  lake  effec- 
tually, but  there  is  nothing  to  prevent  them 
from  slipping  down  the  other  bank  some  dark 
night,  and  making  good  their  escape.  On  the 
island,  however,  with  a  sharp  lookout  on  our 
part,  they  couldn't  run  by  us  on  either  side 
without  our  detecting  them." 

"For  that  reason  the  camp  must  go  over  to 
the  island  to-night,  and  I  will  have  the  launch 
on  the  lake  to-morrow,"  said  Ben  resolutely. 

"How  are  you  going  to  do  it?"  asked  Bob 
Hunt,  incredulously. 

"Do  you  see  that  big  oak  overhanging  the 
pool!"  was  Ben's  reply.  "Well,  a  couple  of 
stout  pulleys  fastened  to  its  branches  will  enable 
us  to  raise  the  yacht  on  a  level  with  the  bank, 


144  THE  CRUISE  OF  THE  FIREFLY 

and  then  she  can  be  put  on  rollers  and  pushed 
oyer  to  the  lake.  The  only  thing  is  I  shall  have 
to  run  down  to  McPherson's  for  the  tackling. 
But  if  Tom '11  go  with  me,  we'll  be  off  as  soon 
as  we  can  get  steam  up,  and  in  the  two  hours 
before  dark  we  will  make  good  headway  to- 
wards the  river.  Meantime,  you  fellows  can 
move  the  goods  over  to  the  island  on  the  yawl. 
I'd  keep  a  sharp  lookout  to-night  also,  for  who 
knows  but  it's  the  very  time  the  other  crew  will 
try  to  slip  by  us." 

Tom  readily  consented  to  accompanying  Ben 
on  his  trip,  and  in  twenty  minutes  the  launch 
was  ready  to  leave. 

"By  the  way,  Harry  McPherson  is  quite  a 
taxidermist,  and  I  might  take  those  lynxes  down 
with  me,  and  leave  them  for  him  to  stuff  for 
you,"  Ben  remarked  as  he  bade  him  good  bye. 

"All  right;  I  shall  have  no  time  to  attend  to 
them,"  Harry  responded,  hastening  up  to  the 
tent  for  the  animals. 

"When  shall  we  expect  you  back?"  he  asked, 
as  he  threw  them  on  board. 

"By  to-morrow  noon,  sure,"  Ben  replied,  and 
the  hawser  of  the  Fire-fly  was  cast  off,  and  she 
steamed  swiftly  away  down  the  stream. 

Tired  as  Harry  and  his  companions  were 
from  the  exertions  of  the  day,  they  thought  it 


INTERCEPTED  145 

wiser  to  change  their  encampment  that  night, 
as  Ben  had  proposed ;  and  they  now  went  vigor- 
ously about  the  task. 

Fortunately  the  distance  to  the  island  was 
not  great,  and,  after  the  traps  had  been  carried 
up  to  the  shore  of  the  lake  it  was  not  a  long 
job  to  transfer  them  to  their  destination.  At 
seven  o'clock,  therefore,  the  work  of  moving 
was  complete. 

No  attempt  was  made,  however,  to  bring  the 
camp  to  order  that  night.  Only  the  smaller 
tent  was  pitched  and  made  habitable,  and  in 
this  four  of  the  boys  soon  stretched  themselves 
for  a  much-needed  rest,  while  the  fifth  stood 
guard. 

This  was  Frank  Keynolds,  and  at  ten  o'clock 
he  called  Ed  Willis,  who  was  to  keep  watch  until 
two,  and  then  awaken  Harry  himself. 

But  not  far  from  midnight  Ed  felt  sure  he 
heard  the  sound  of  oars  up  the  lake,  and  he 
aroused  Wallace  at  once.  Hurrying  over  to  the 
western  end  of  the  island  they  listened  intently, 
until  both  were  satisfied  that  a  boat  of  some 
kind  was  steadily  approaching. 

Noiselessly  the  lads  hurried  back  to  the  tent 

and  awoke  their   sleeping  comrades.     It  was 

only  necessary  to  tell  the  lads  that  the  boat  of 

their  rivals  was  close  at  hand  for  all  to  be 

10 


146  THE  CRUISE  OF  THE  FIREFLY 

wide  awake  and  on  the  alert.  The  yawl  was 
then  thrust  into  the  water,  the  oars  shipped  for 
instant  use;  after  which  they  breathlessly 
awaited  events. 

The  night  was  dark,  and  it  was  impossible  to 
see  anything  distinctly  ten  feet  away;  when 
therefore  the  sound  of  rowing  suddenly  ceased 
Harry  grew  nervous. 

"Can  they  have  already  passed?"  he  asked 
under  his  breath. 

"I  don't  believe  they  have,  but  why  don't  you 
fire  off  a  rocket  ? ' '  whispered  Ed  Willis.  '  <  The 
worst  it  can  do  is  to  drive  them  back  to  their 
camp. ' ' 

' '  Do  you  know  where  the  rockets  were  put  last 
evening?"  inquired  Harry  quickly;  "if  so, 
bring  me  two  or  three. ' ' 

Ed  at  once  disappeared  in  the  darkness,  and 
returned  a  moment  later  with  several  of  the 
pyrotechnics  in  his  hands.  Slipping  them 
under  the  stern  seat  of  the  yawl  Wallace  gave 
the  quick  order: 

"Williams,  you  stay  here  to  look  out  for  the 
camp;  the  rest  of  you  tumble  into  the  boat;" 
then  he  himself  pushed  the  craft  slowly  out 
from  the  shore. 

When  clear  of  the  island,  he  said: 

"Be  ready  with  your  oars,  boys !"  and  at  the 


"We  must  overhaul  them,  boys. 


INTERCEPTED  147 

same  time  he  struck  a  match  and  lighted  a 
rocket. 

Under  the  glare  it  sent  forth  they  saw,  not 
ten  rods  away,  but  still  up  the  lake,  the  yawl  of 
their  rivals,  loaded  with  her  crew  and  camping 
outfit.  Evidently  they  had  heard  some  sound 
that  alarmed  them,  for  they  were  resting  on 
their  oars,  and  bent  forward  in  the  attitude  of 
listeners. 

But  the  moment  the  rocket  flashed  up  through 
the  darkness,  they  dipped  their  oars  and  pulled 
back  toward  their  old  rendezvous. 

Like  an  inspiration  it  now  came  to  Harry  that 
the  fleeing  boat,  having  loaded  for  its  final  de- 
parture, had  in  all  probability  the  lost  banners 
on  board,  and  he  cried: 

1  i  We  must  overhaul  her,  boys !    Pull ! ' ' 

And  the  next  moment  the  light  boat  propelled 
by  four  strong  arms  dashed  up  the  lake  in  the 
wake  of  the  more  heavily  loaded  one. 


CHAPTER  XV 

HARRY'S  MISFORTUNE 

HAD  Harry  and  his  companions  continued 
to  follow  the  other  yawl  they  would 
doubtless  have  overhauled  it.  But 
hardly  had  they  gone  a  half-dozen  rods  when 
Wallace  thought  of  a  ruse,  which  he  believed 
would  bring  his  rivals  into  his  hands,  and  he  at 
once  proceeded  to  put  it  into  execution. 

This  was  to  run  off  toward  the  southern  bor- 
der of  the  lake  as  though  bewildered  in  the 
heavy  darkness;  then,  when  out  of  hearing  of 
the  other  boat,  to  pull  straight  for  the  mouth  of 
the  stream  on  which  the  High  School  boys  had 
made  their  camp,  and  there  lie  in  wait  for  them 
to  come  up. 

There  were  two  reasons  why  he  thought  this 
plan  would  work  successfully;  he  had  no  other 
idea  than  that  the  discovered  lads,  on  finding 
they  had  thrown  off  the  pursuing  boat,  would 
return  directly  to  their  old  encampment,  sup- 
posing that  its  whereabouts  was  still  unknown 
to  their  followers,  then  he  was  confident  that  his 

148 


HARRY'S  MISFORTUNE  149 

own  better  acquaintance  with  the  configuration 
of  the  lake,  and  the  lightness  of  his  craft  would 
enable  him,  though  he  chose  a  more  roundabout 
way,  easily  to  outstrip  them  in  reaching  the 
creek. 

Communicating  his  intention  to  his  comrades, 
therefore,  he  turned  the  bow  of  the  yawl  gradu- 
ally to  the  left  without  diminishing  its  speed. 

In  a  few  minutes  they  were  aware,  even  in  the 
gloom,  that  they  were  nearing  the  shore,  and 
ceased  their  rowing.  The  next  instant  the  boat 
touched  the  beach  at  a  point  which  they  knew 
must  be  some  distance  east  of  the  brook;  and, 
pushing  off  again,  they  resumed  their  oars  and 
ran  quickly  along  the  overhanging  bank,  until 
its  sudden  receding  and  the  noise  of  running 
water  told  them  they  were  at  the  entrance  of 
the  watercourse  they  were  seeking. 

They  now  stopped  and  listened.  No  sound 
of  an  approaching  boat  as  yet  reached  them, 
and  they  were  about  to  congratulate  themselves 
upon  this  issue  of  the  first  step  in  their  under- 
taking, when  they  were  startled  by  a  rocket 
which  suddenly  shot  up  from  the  west  end  of  the 
great  island.  In  its  light  they  saw  to  their  con- 
sternation the  other  yawl  close  under  the  south 
side  of  the  isle,  but  gliding  rapidly  down  toward 


150  THE  CRUISE  OF  THE  FIREFLY 

the  falls,  and  knew  that  Fred  Williams  was 
signaling  for  their  return. 

What  had  happened  was  this  : 

Eeed  Jones  knew  the  moment  he  saw  the  rival 
crew  dash  after  him  that  only  by  skillful 
nianceuvering  could  he  avoid  being  overtaken. 
In  the  flash  of  the  rocket  that  Harry  Wallace 
fired  he  caught  sight  of  the  tent  on  the  island, 
and  quickly  comprehended  that  the  Institute 
boys  must  have  moved  their  encampment. 
These  two  thoughts  gave  birth  in  his  mind  there- 
fore to  a  brilliant  and  daring  scheme. 

Under  the  cover  of  the  darkness  he  changed 
the  course  of  his  yawl  and  ran  for  a  few  rods  off 
to  the  right,  where  he  stopped.  He  was  there- 
fore able  to  trace  the  movement  of  the  other 
boat  from  the  sound  of  its  oars  until  it  had  run 
out  of  hearing.  Then  he  said  to  his  astonished 
comrades : 

' '  Did  you  notice  the  tents  on  the  island,  boys  ? 
Those  Institute  fellows  have  brought  their  camp 
up  here,  and  must  have  left  their  launch  at  the 
foot  of  the  falls.  That  gives  us  the  biggest 
chance  at  them  we  Ve  had  yet,  and  opens  up  for 
us  a  way  of  escape." 

" How's  that?"  his  companions  breathlessly 
asked. 

"Why,  we  can  run  right  down  to  this  side  of 


HARRY'S  MISFORTUNE  151 

the  falls,  abandon  our  yawl  and  traps,  except 
the  guns  and  the  flags,  and  dash  down  the  bank 
to  the  launch.  Once  on  board,  we'll  cut  her 
loose  and  be  off  down  the  stream  before  these 
fellows  have  time  to  find  out  where  we've  gone. 
We  can  take  a  pair  of  oars  along  with  us  and 
manage  the  craft  with  them  until  we  get  up 
steam;  then  we'll  sail  down  to  Annapolis,  or  as 
for  that  matter,  clear  home,  at  our  leisure,  leav- 
ing our  friends  here  to  account  for  and  settle  for 
the  vessel's  disappearance." 

"What  a  joke  on  them!"  exclaimed  Jack 
Howard,  as  loud  as  he  dared.  "Quick!  let  us 
be  off  before  their  yawl  returns  down  the  lake. ' ' 

There  was  a  little  demurring  among  the  rest 
of  the  crew  at  so  daring  an  undertaking,  but 
they  were  speedily  silenced  by  their  leaders. 
Then  it  took  them  but  a  moment  to  turn  about 
the  boat,  and  grasping  their  oars  they  pulled 
quickly  off  toward  the  falls  to  carry  out  their 
purpose. 

They  might  have  succeeded  in  reaching  the 
pool,  only  to  find  their  purpose  thwarted  by  the 
absence  of  the  launch,  had  not  Fred  Williams 
been  on  the  alert. 

He  had  gone  down  to  the  west  end  of  the 
island,  on  the  departure  of  his  comrades,  and 


152  THE  CRUISE  OF  THE  FIREFLY 

by  the  clicking  of  the  oars  in  their  locks,  was 
able  to  detect  the  courses  of  both  crews. 

He  knew  when  the  High  School  yawl  changed 
its  route  and  stopped,  and  also  was  aware  that 
his  friends  had  passed  rapidly  over  to  the  op- 
posite side  of  the  lake  without  noticing  this 
move  on  the  part  of  their  rivals. 

With  remarkable  intuition,  however,  he  sus- 
pected the  intentions  of  Jones  and  his  followers, 
and  realized  that  they  must  be  prevented  from 
escaping.  He  had  no  boat,  and  could  therefore 
think  of  but  one  way  to  accomplish  this  object : 
that  was  to  signal  for  Harry  and  his  crew  to 
return.  He  immediately  thought  of  the  rockets, 
and  hastened  to  the  tent  to  secure  some. 

Not  knowing  just  where  they  were,  it  took 
him  a  few  minutes  to  find  them,  and  before  he 
returned  to  the  upper  end  of  the  island,  Harry 
had  reached  the  mouth  of  the  brook  and  Jones 
had  started  down  the  lake  again. 

The  firing  of  the  rocket,  however,  was  but  the 
work  of  a  moment,  and  he  immediately  followed 
it  with  another,  in  the  light  of  which  he  dis- 
covered two  things  that  gave  him  great  satis- 
faction. The  High  School  boys  were  resting 
on  their  oars  as  though  non-plussed  by  this  un- 
expected disclosure  of  their  plan,  while  Harry 
and  his  comrades  were  coming  back  over  their 


HARRY'S  MISFORTUNE  153 

course  as  fast  as  the  stiff  ash  sweeps  they  knew 
so  well  how  to  handle  could  bring  them. 

To  annoy,  even  if  it  did  not  hinder,  the  per- 
plexed lads  still  further,  Fred  now  fired  a  third 
rocket  directly  over  the  waiting  yawl,  and  as  its 
light  fell  full  upon  the  faces  of  the  occupants,  he 
imprudently  called  out : 

"Hey,  there,  Jones,  you  may  as  well  come 
in  shore  and  leave  those  banners  before  you  go 
around  the  falls,  for  we  don't  intend  for  you^to 
carry  them  off." 

"Do  you  suppose  any  of  those  fellows  are  at 
the  falls?"  asked  Bill  Dunster  in  a  voice  in- 
tended only  for  his  comrades,  but  which  in  the 
still  night  air  reached  Fred's  quick  ears. 

"You'll  find  out  soon  enough  if  you  go  down 
there,"  he  cried,  following  his  words  with  a 
derisive  laugh. 

This  taunt  had  its  effect,  apparently,  upon 
the  halting  crew,  for  they  again  seized  their 
oars  and  rowed  rapidly  to  the  lower  end  of  the 
island,  where  they  turned  and  darted  up  the  lake 
for  the  second  time  that  night. 

Harry  and  his  crew  were  now  near  enough 
to  discover  this  movement,  and  running  by  the 
upper  end  of  the  island,  they  came  out  into  the 
broad  waters  beyond  in  close  pursuit  of  the  flee- 
ing boat, 


154  THE  CRUISE  OF  THE  FIREFLY 

Fred  quickly  changed  his  post  over  to  the 
north  side  of  the  isle,  and  fired  his  rockets  at 
regular  intervals  until  both  yawls  had  disap- 
peared among  a  cluster  of  small  islands  a  half- 
mile  away ;  then  he  left  them  to  finish  the  chase 
in  the  darkness. 

The  proximity  of  the  islet  made  it  difficult  for 
the  boats  to  proceed  except  with  the  greatest 
caution,  and  each  crew  was  continually  stopping 
to  make  sure  of  its  course  and  to  listen  for  the 
sounds  of  the  other. 

But  at  last  Harry,  in  a  spurt  to  overtake  his 
rivals,  whom  by  the  noise  of  their  row-locks  he 
judged  to  be  no  great  distance  ahead,  dashed 
upon  one  of  the  isles  with  a  force  that  threw 
him  and  his  comrades  from  their  seats ;  and,  be- 
fore they  could  recover  their  position,  and  clear 
the  yawl  from  the  island,  the  other  yawl  had 
passed  out  of  hearing. 

Wallace  now  resorted  to  another  rocket,  and 
as  its  light  glimmered  across  the  surface  of 
the  water  he  beheld  the  boat  he  was  pursuing 
well  out  from  the  cluster  of  islands,  and  mak- 
ing directly  toward  the  northern  side  of  the  lake 
already  close  at  hand. 

"I  believe  they  are  going  to  land!"  he  ex- 
claimed excitedly.     " Let's  after  them!" 

A  quick  bend  to  their  oars  was  his  comrades ' 


HARRY'S  MISFORTUNE  155 

response,  and  the  light  boat  shot  swiftly  on  in 
the  direction  the  other  had  taken. 

Having  but  one  rocket  more  with  him,  Harry 
waited  until  he  believed  he  was  nearly  in  shore 
and  then  sent  it  off.  He  had  chosen  a  most  op- 
portune moment  for  firing  the  pyrotechnic,  as 
under  its  flash  he  saw  the  other  yawl  had  al- 
ready landed  at  an  adjacent  point,  and  Jack 
Howard  was  in  the  act  of  leaping  out  of  it  with 
the  two  banners  in  his  hand.  Then  as  the  light 
died  away  he  disappeared  in  the  woods,  while 
the  boat  immediately  swung  off  from  the  beach, 
and  went  on  up  the  lake. 

"What  shall  we  do  now,  Harry?"  asked  his 
companions,  suddenly  resting  on  their  oars. 
' '  Shall  we  follow  the  yawl  f ' ' 

"No!  To  the  shore!"  he  responded.  "Let 
the  boat  go;  it  won't  leave  the  lake  without 
Howard.     I'll  follow  him  up." 

The  boys  dipped  their  blades  at  once,  and  the 
yawl  soon  touched  the  point  where  the  other  had 
been  but  a  moment  before.  Jumping  out, 
Harry  said: 

"Hang  around  here  till  I  return,"  then  he 
hurried  into  the  forest  after  Howard. 

Possibly  a  couple  of  minutes  had  elapsed  be- 
tween the  landing  of  the  two  lads,  and,  when 
once  within  the  shadows  of  the  heavy  trees, 


156  THE  CRUISE  OF  THE  FIREFLY 

Harry  became  aware  of  the  hopelessness  of  his 
search.  He  literally  had  to  feel  his  way  over 
bowlders,  around  bushes,  and  was  constantly 
striking  some  obstacle  with  a  noise  that  must 
have  been  heard  several  rods  distant. 

Suddenly,  realizing  he  was  giving  the  lad  for 
whom  he  was  searching  all  the  guidance  he 
needed  to  keep  out  of  his  reach,  Harry  came  to 
a  stand-still. 

No  sound  broke  the  stillness  of  the  forest. 
Howard,  if  near,  could  not  be  moving  about. 
He  might,  however,  be  so  far  away  by  this  time 
that  his  steps  could  not  be  heard  by  his  pursuer. 
Should  he  then  abandon  his  search  or  go  on? 

Before  he  could  come  to  a  decision,  the  crack- 
ing of  a  twig  a  little  way  to  his  right  sent  him 
quickly  in  that  direction. 

The  ground  now  showed  a  slight  descent,  and 
as  he  hastened  forward,  his  toe  caught  in  a  root 
or  vine  with  a  force  that  pitched  him  headlong 
forward.  As  he  fell  his  head  came  violently  in 
contact  with  a  huge  tree  trunk,  and  dimly  con- 
scious of  rolling  against  some  obstacle,  he  be- 
came unconscious. 


CHAPTER  XVI 

IN  A  TIGHT  PLACE 

WHEN  the  unfortunate  Harry  regained 
consciousness,  he  found  himself  lying 
on  the  shore  of  the  lake  beside  the 
yawl.  It  was  early  morning,  and  his  three  com- 
rades were  gathered  about  him. 

"How  do  you  feel?"  Ed  Willis  asked,  dipping 
at  the  same  time  a  handkerchief  into  the  water 
at  his  feet,  and  bathing  the  injured  boy's  face. 

"All  right,  except  my  head,"  he  replied,  ris- 
ing to  a  sitting  position;  "that  feels  as  big  as 
two.     How  came  I  here  1 ' ' 

"We  waited  for  you  until  light,"  Rob  Hunt 
exclaimed,  "and  then  Ed  and  I  started  to  look 
you  up.  We  soon  came  across  you  lying  sense- 
less against  a  large  bowlder  on  the  edge  of  a 
narrow  ravine.  You'll  have  to  tell  us  how  you 
came  there." 

"Oh!  I  remember  now,"  answered  Harry, 
with  a  faint  smile,  "I  heard  a  noise  and  ran  in 
the  direction  from  which  it  came,  when  I  tripped 
my  toe  and  fell  headlong  against  a  tree.     I  felt 

157 


158  THE  CRUISE  OF  THE  FIREFLY 

the  blow  and  had  a  confused  idea  of  rolling 
against  something,  then  I  knew  nothing  more 
until  I  opened  my  eyes  here." 

' '  Lucky  for  you  that  the  bowlder  stopped 
you,  or  you'd  gone  down  into  the  gorge  and 
likely  as  not  been  killed, ' '  put  in  Willis. 

"Well,  Bob  and  I  brought  you  to  where  we'd 
left  Frank.  That  isn't  five  minutes  ago;  the 
cool  water  on  your  face  revived  you  at  once." 

' '  Is  my  head  cut  much  f ' '  Harry  now  inquired, 
laying  his  hand  on  a  spot  on  the  edge  of  his  hair 
which  seemed  very  sore  to  his  touch. 

"The  skin  isn't  even  broken,"  responded  Ed; 
"only  a  bunch  the  size  of  a  goose  egg  and  as 
black  as  your  hair  has  puffed  out  there !  but  the 
cold  water  will  soon  bring  that  down.  Do  you 
feel  able  to  go  over  to  the  camp?" 

1  i  Oh,  yes, ' '  Wallace  said  at  once,  and  with  the 
help  of  his  companions,  he  stepped  into  the 
yawl,  and  they  pulled  directly  for  the  island. 

They  reached  it  in  less  than  a  half-hour, 
where  they  found  Fred  had  a  hot  and  bountiful 
breakfast  ready  for  them.  The  strong  coffee 
settled  the  nausea  Harry  felt,  and  the  sub- 
stantial food  greatly  strengthened  him,  so  that 
when  the  meal  was  finished  he  was  quite  him- 
self. 

"There  is  this  much  about  our  fracas  of  last 


IN  A  TIGHT  PLACE  159 

night,"  lie  said  as  be  and  the  other  boys  began 
to  put  the  camp  in  order;  "if  we  didn't  recover 
the  banners,  neither  did  our  High  School  friends 
get  off  with  them." 

"They  are  fully  aware  also  that  we  don't  in- 
tend to  let  them  if  we  can  help  it,"  added  Fred 
Williams,  and  then  he  told  what  he  had  called 
out  to  Jones  and  his  crew  as  they  waited  off  the 
island. 

"That  brings  the  struggle  between  us  to  a 
focus,"  said  Harry;  "they  now  know  our  in- 
tentions and  we  know  theirs.  The  question  is 
which  one  of  us  shall  win.  For  ourselves,  we 
have  scored  one  point.  The  tide  has  turned  in 
our  favor  and  we  want  to  see  to  it  now  that  we 
come  in  with  the  flood. ' ' 

In  two  or  three  hours,  the  encampment  was 
set  to  rights,  and  then  by  turns  the  lads  secured 
a  little  sleep. 

Not  far  from  eleven  o  'clock,  however,  a  voice 
from  the  southeast  shore  of  the  lake  called  to 
them,  and  looking  in  that  direction,  they  saw 
Tom  waving  his  hands  for  some  of  them  to  come 
over. 

Leaving  Ed  Willis  in  charge  of  the  island,  the 
others  launched  the  yawl,  and  in  five  minutes 
had  joined  their  returned  companion. 

He  reported  a  safe  run  down  to  McPherson's 


160  THE  CRUISE  OF  THE  FIREFLY 

Landing  and  back.  There  was  no  difficulty  in 
securing  the  tackling  and  rollers  they  wanted, 
and  nothing  now  prevented  bringing  the  launch 
around  the  falls. 

Harry  went  down  to  the  pool  to  consult  with 
Ben  about  the  undertaking,  and  found  him  so 
confident  that  the  job  would  not  be  a  long  one 
that  he  decided  to  carry  it  through  at  once. 

The  launch  was  run  under  the  huge  oak, 
which  was  to  be  used  as  a  derrick.  A  limb 
large  enough  to  bear  the  weight  of  the  vessel 
was  then  selected,  and  to  it  the  blocks,  through 
which  the  great  ropes  ran,  were  securely 
fastened. 

This  was  not  so  difficult  a  task  as  it  seemed 
at  first  sight.  A  small  pebble  was  tied  into  one 
end  of  a  stout  cord  and  tossed  over  the  branch ; 
through  this  connecting  line,  the  ropes  that  held 
the  blocks  were  not  only  drawn  into  place,  but 
wrapped  several  times  about  the  limb,  and  then 
carried  to  a  neighboring  tree  around  which  they 
were  firmly  bound. 

Everything  was  now  ready  to  attach  the  hoist- 
ing hooks  to  the  bow  and  stern  of  the  launch; 
and,  having  removed  all  her  furnishings,  and 
put  out  her  fires,  this  was  done. 

Two  of  the  boys  then  took  hold  of  one  of  the 
pulley-ropes  and  three  of  the  other,  while  Ben 


IN  A  TIGHT  PLACE  161 

with  the  end  of  the  bow  hawser  in  his  hand, 
clambered  up  the  bank  to  the  place  where  the 
yacht  was  to  be  raised,  and  gave  the  word  for 
the  hoisting  to  begin. 

Slowly  and  as  evenly  as  possible  the  vessel 
was  raised.  It  was  hard  work,  and  only  by 
warping  their  slack  rope  about  the  trunks  of 
adjacent  saplings,  could  the  lads  retain  the 
additional  height  gained  with  each  heave. 

Persistent  effort  eventually  accomplished 
the  task,  however,  and  after  a  time  the  launch 
swung  in  the  air  on  a  level  with  the  bank. 
Leaving  the  other  boys  to  hold  the  suspended 
vessel,  Harry  ran  to  Ben's  assistance;  and,  by 
securing  a  purchase  around  a  tree  some  feet 
away,  with  the  bow-line,  they  drew  the  yacht 
toward  them  as  fast  as  their  comrades  paid  out 
their  slacking  ropes.  She  soon  rested  firmly 
upon  the  rollers  that  had  already  been  placed 
to  receive  her,  and  the  hardest,  as  well  as  the 
most  precarious  part  of  their  work  was  over. 

With  a  hurrah,  the  other  lads  ran  thither 
from  the  pool,  and  in  a  few  minutes,  a  track  of 
rollers  had  been  laid  to  the  water's  edge,  and 
the  launch  run  smoothly  over  them  into  the 
lake. 

To  lower  and  gather  up  the  tackling,  and  re- 
place it  on  the  vessel,  to  restore  her  furnish- 
11 


162  THE  CRUISE  OF  THE  FIREFLY 

ings,  and  start  up  her  fires,  were  but  the  labor 
of  another  half-hour;  and,  before  two  o'clock, 
the  Fire-Fly  steamed  proudly  off  with  the  yawl 
in  tow  to  the  big  island. 

During  the  dinner  that  immediately  followed 
their  arrival,  Harry  related  the  adventure  of  the 
preceding  night,  and  proposed  that  a  tour  of 
the  lake  be  made  in  the  launch  that  afternoon. 

"I  have  no  idea  where  those  fellows  have 
gone,"  he  said;  "but  doubtless  they  are  watch- 
ing our  movements,  and  I  want  them  to  know 
the  yacht  has  been  brought  around  the  falls, 
and  we  are  now  masters  of  the  lake. ' ' 

Ben  heartily  seconded  the  proposition,  so  an 
hour  or  two  later  the  tiny  steamer  with  Harry, 
Tom  Sexsmith,  Ed  Willis,  and  himself  on  board, 
began  her  voyage. 

Along  the  shores,  around  the  island,  into  the 
coves  and  inlets,  she  gracefully  sailed,  sending 
forth  every  now  and  then  her  shrill  whistle, 
"just  to  let  Jones  and  his  crew  know  we  are 
around,"  as  Ben  expressed  it.  She  even  ran 
up  the  brook  to  the  old  camping  place  of  the 
High  School  boys,  only  to  find  it  deserted. 

When  she  passed  the  point  where  Harry  met 
with  his  mishap  the  night  before,  Ed  Willis 
asked : 


IN  A  TIGHT  PLACE  163 

"Why  do  you  suppose  Howard  was  put 
ashore  here  with  those  banners?" 

"Because  Jones  expected  us  to  overhaul  hirn 
every  moment,  and  took  that  way  to  prevent  our 
recovering  tkero,"  Harry  answered;  "but  I 
wonder  whether  Jack  hid  them  somewhere  in 
those  woods,  or  joined  his  comrades  with  them 
at  some  place  agreed  upon  this  morning? " 

"Maybe  they  have  camped  out  again  some- 
where in  that  region,"  suggested  Tom  Sex- 
smith.  "There  is  a  small  brook  running  into 
the  lake  on  the  further  side  of  the  point,  and, 
though  not  large  enough  for  a  boat,  they  could 
easily  conceal  that  at  its  mouth,  and  pitch  the 
tent  in  the  gorge. ' ' 

"That  accounts  for  the  one  on  whose  brink 
I  found  you,  Harry!"  exclaimed  Ed.  "We 
might  take  a  tramp  over  in  that  locality  to- 
morrow and  see  what  we  can  find." 

The  lads  discussed  the  matter  while  they 
steamed  down  to  the  island,  and  the  result  was 
that  early  the  next  day  Ben  rowed  the  trio  over 
to  the  point  in  his  yawl,  and  they  began  their 
exploration  of  the  forest. 

Eemembering  their  experience  on  the  other 
side  of  the  lake  with  the  loup-cerviers,  both 
Tom  and  Harry  had  brought  along  their  rifles, 
while  Ed  carried  his  shot-gun,  but  he  had  taken 


164  THE  CRUISE  OF  THE  FIREFLY 

the  precaution  to  load  his  cartridges  with  his 
heaviest  shot. 

On  reaching  the  ravine  where  Harry  had  been 
found,  they  ascertained  that  it  was  the  one 
through  which  the  tiny  stream  that  entered  the 
lake  at  the  west  of  the  point  ran. 

Entering  the  promontory  in  an  easterly  di- 
rection and  nearly  severing  it  from  the  main 
shore,  it  then  turned  suddenly  north,  dividing 
a  considerable  hill  into  nearly  equal  parts. 

Finding  a  place  where  they  could  descend 
into  it,  the  three  lads  walked  slowly  up  it.  It 
widened  as  they  advanced,  and  after  the  dis- 
tance of  perhaps  a  mile  separated  into  two 
branches,  one  running  to  the  northeast,  the 
other  to  the  northwest,  around  a  small  moun- 
tain spur. 

Choosing  the  left  gorge,  which  seemed  the 
larger  of  the  two,  the  boys  continued  their 
tramp.  The  ground  as  they  went  onward  grew 
more  rugged  and  rocky,  and  the  sides  of  the 
ravine  drew  nearer  together  until  they  at  length 
met  in  a  precipitous  cliff. 

After  consultation  the  lads  decided  to  cross 
over  the  spur  on  the  right  into  the  other  ravine, 
and  return  to  the  lake  by  that  route.  Hardly 
had  they  begun  to  climb  up  the  hillside,  how- 
ever, before  Harry,  who  was  in  advance,  called 


IN  A  TIGHT  PLACE  165 

his  companions  to  his  side.  Looking  straight 
ahead  they  beheld  a  large  black  bear  slowly 
ascending  the  rocky  slope. 

Their  first  thought,  as  she  had  not  yet  seen 
them,  was  to  retrace  their  steps,  and  put  as 
much  distance  between  them  and  the  ugly  beast 
as  possible. 

Then  came  a  desire  to  secure  the  prize,  and, 
believing  they  should  have  a  story  worthy  not 
only  to  relate  about  the  campfire,  but  to  tell  at 
the  academy  halls,  or  by  the  firesides  of  their 
homes,  they  crept  cautiously  after  the  animal, 
hoping  to  secure  a  shot. 

The  path  followed  led  them  out  upon  an 
elevated  rock,  and  from  the  top  of  that  they 
caught  sight  of  the  bear  entering  a  cleft  a  few 
rods  beyond. 

Knowing  that  she  had  gone  into  her  den,  they 
selected  a  hiding  place  within  easy  range  of  the 
ledge  on  which  the  cave  opened  and  waited  for 
her  to  come  out. 

In  a  few  minutes  she  appeared,  followed  by 
two  cubs.  Eealizing  that  their  opportunity  had 
now  come,  all  three  of  the  lads  took  steady  aim 
and  fired  together.  One  or  more  of  the  shots 
must  have  reached  some  vital  spot,  for  the  beast 
rolled  over  on  her  back  dead,  while  the  cubs, 


166  THE  CRUISE  OF  THE  FIREFLY 

frightened  by  the  unusual  noise,  scrambled  back 
into  the  cave. 

The  boys  now  determined  to  secure  the  little 
ones  alive,  and  crawled  over  to  the  cavern. 
The  interior  was  dark,  and  the  roof  low  and 
jagged,  but  the  floor  was  smooth  and  thickly 
covered  with  sand. 

They  crept  cautiously  one  after  the  other  into 
the  cave,  first  reloading  their  guns  and  carry- 
ing them  with  them.  They  soon  reached  the 
rear  of  the  den,  and  groping  about  in  the  dark, 
finally  placed  their  hands  upon  a  growling  cub. 

With  much  trouble  and  many  scratches,  they 
secured  it,  and  tied  its  four  feet  with  a  hand- 
kerchief. The  other  cub  had  squeezed  itself 
into  such  a  deep  crevice  that  it  was  some  time 
before  they  could  pull  it  out.  While  tying  its 
feet,  the  little  light  that  entered  the  cavern 
failed,  and  all  suddenly  became  blank  darkness. 
They  knew  there  could  be  but  one  cause  for  the 
gloom.  The  male  bear  had  returned,  and  re- 
garding their  situation  as  most  critical  indeed, 
they  braced  themselves  for  a  fight  that  must  end 
with  the  death  of  the  enraged  beast  or  the  loss 
of  their  own  lives. 


CHAPTER  XVII 

THE  MISSING  PELTS 

64T   TELL  you,  boys,  we  are  in  for  an  ad- 

J^  venture  now  that  no  one  can  tell  how 
it  will  end,"  exclaimed  Harry,  and  con- 
sidering the  great  peril  he  and  his  companions 
were  in,  there  was  a  remarkable  steadiness  to 
his  voice.  "Ed's  gun  is  valueless  in  the  strug- 
gle with  that  brute,  and  the  outcome  will  there- 
fore depend  upon  you  and  me,  Tom.  Shoot 
first,  and  I  will  have  my  rifle  ready  if  you  miss. 
If  we  both  fail — well — good  bye." 

The  lads  knew,  even  in  the  darkness,  where 
their  foe  was,  for  the  bear's  eyes  glowed  like 
balls  of  fire.  But,  fortunately  for  them,  the 
roof  of  the  den  was  so  low  the  animal  could  not 
spring  directly  upon  them,  and  had  to  advance 
slowly,  stretching  out  its  body  to  its  full  length. 

"Good  bye,  old  fellow,"  Tom  answered  hus- 
kily, and  then  he  aimed  carefully  at  the  ap- 
proaching beast.  The  next  instant  a  sharp  re- 
port followed  the  snapping  of  the  lock,  and  the 

167 


168  THE  CRUISE  OF  THE  FIREFLY 

clearing  of  the  smoke  revealed  the  bear  strug- 
gling at  the  boy's  feet. 

He  drew  back  with  a  cry  of  alarm,  for  the 
wounded  animal  in  another  moment  would  have 
been  upon  him,  when  Harry  coolly  exclaimed: 

1  i  Keep  quietly  where  you  are,  Tom ;  I  will  fire 
over  your  shoulder." 

Then  he  shoved  his  rifle  forward  until  its 
muzzle  touched  the  beast's  chest.  Pushing 
hard  on  the  gun,  he  pressed  the  trigger.  There 
was  a  stunning  report,  a  heavy  groan,  then  all 
was  still.     The  bear  was  dead. 

Now  another  difficulty  arose.  The  dead 
animal  was  wedged  into  the  passageway  so 
closely  that  the  lads  could  not  crawl  over  him. 
Their  only  hope  of  escape  was  to  push  the  huge 
body  out  of  the  den  ahead  of  them,  and  after  a 
long  time  they,  by  their  united  efforts,  suc- 
ceeded. 

Once  out  in  the  open  air  they  wiped  the  pro- 
fuse perspiration  their  exertions  had  started, 
from  their  foreheads,  and  then  shook  hands  in 
hearty  congratulation  over  the  happy  ending  of 
their  hazardous  and  exciting  adventure. 

"You  don't  catch  me  in  a  wild  beast's  den 
again,  until  I  know  the  last  occupant  has  been 
killed,"  Tom  now  said  with  a  solemn  shake  of 


THE  MISSING  PELTS  169 

the  head;  "but  what  shall  we  do  with  the  beasts, 
Harry?     Tumble  them  down  the  rocks !" 

"I  wish  we  might  have  their  skins  to  carry 
back  to  the  Institute/'  replied  Wallace,  gazing 
down  at  the  shaggy  pair  at  his  feet.  "Would- 
n't the  boys  open  their  eyes  in  sheer  wonder 
when  they  saw  those  fellows  and  heard  the 
story  of  their  capture!" 

' '  You  can  just  bet  they  would, ' '  cried  Ed  Wil- 
lis enthusiastically.  "Come  let  us  strip  the 
skins  off." 

It  was  new  and  hard  work  for  the  lads,  and 
they  were  at  least  two  hours  in  accomplishing 
the  task,  but  at  last  it  was  finished  to  their  satis- 
faction. 

"There  they  are,  Harry,"  Tom  announced  as 
he  rolled  the  pelts  into  two  enormous  wads. 
"Now  how  are  you  going  to  get  them  down  to 
the  boat?" 

"We  can't  do  it  to-night,  especially  if  we 
carry  the  cubs,"  Wallace  answered.  "But  we 
can  put  them  in  the  cavern  and  block  up  its 
entrance  so  no  wild  beast  can  get  in,  and  return 
for  them  to-morrow." 

As  the  cubs  were  plump  little  fellows,  weigh- 
ing thirty  or  forty  pounds  apiece,  this  seemed 
the  wiser  course,  and  was  unanimously  adopted. 

Boiling  the  nude  carcasses  of  the  bears  down 


170  THE  CRUISE  OF  THE  FIREFLY 

the  ledge  to  become  the  food  of  the  wolves  or 
other  carnivorous  animals,  the  lads  brought  out 
the  captured  cubs  from  the  cave,  and,  storing 
the  skins  within  it,  blocked  the  mouth  with  huge 
bowlders.  Then  Ed  took  the  guns,  while  Tom 
and  Harry  each  shouldered  a  cub,  and  they  be- 
gan their  long  tramp  back  to  the  lake. 

Ben  was  waiting  at  the  point  for  them,  and 
already  growing  anxious  over  their  prolonged 
absence.  The  cubs  they  brought,  together  with 
the  exciting  tale  they  had  to  relate,  fully  ex- 
plained their  delay  however,  and  hastening  on 
board  the  launch,  they  ran  swiftly  over  to  the 
island. 

The  next  day  was  Harry's  to  spend  in  camp, 
and,  though  several  of  the  other  lads  volun- 
teered to  remain  for  him,  while  he  went  with  a 
gang  of  helpers  back  up  the  ravine  for  the  bear 
skins,  he  decided  to  keep  his  regular  watch. 

' '  Tom  and  Ed  can  guide  you  to  the  cave  just 
as  well  as  I,"  he  said,  "and  all  of  you  had  better 
go  on  this  trip.  The  pelts  are  heavy  and  the 
oftener  you  relieve  each  other  in  carrying  them 
the  easier  it  will  be.  Ben  will  be  company  for 
me." 

Frank  Eeynolds,  however,  was  feeling  slight- 
ly indisposed,  and  preferred  to  remain  with 
Harry. 


THE  MISSING  PELTS  171 

i '  That  will  leave  four  of  you  to  go  after  the 
skins,  and  by  fastening  them  to  stout  sticks,  two 
can  carry  a  single  pelt  better  than  by  any  other 
method, ' '  he  suggested. 

The  other  boys  consented  to  this  arrange- 
ment, and  called  on  Ben  to  set  them  across  to 
the  main  shore. 

"You  won't  be  gone  but  a  few  hours,"  he 
responded,  "and  so  I'll  take  you  over  in  the 
yawl,  and  remain  there  until  you  return.  I  can 
amuse  myself  while  I  wait  by  fishing  for  trout 
in  the  brook  at  the  mouth  of  the  ravine. ' ' 

Tom,  Ed,  Fred,  and  Bob,  therefore  got  into 
the  boat  with  the  crippled  lad,  and  they  rowed 
over  to  the  point  near  the  gorge. 

"Good  luck  to  you,  Ben,  while  we  are  gone," 
Tom  called  out  as  he  and  his  comrades  started 
for  the  cave. 

"You'll  think  I've  had  good  luck  when  you 
see  the  string  of  fish  I'll  have  on  your  return," 
responded  Ben  merrily  to  his  disappearing  com- 
panions. 

The  morning  was  bright,  the  air  invigorating, 
and  Tom  and  his  party  by  walking  briskly 
reached  the  cavern  in  an  hour ;  finding  to  their 
indignation  the  bowlders  had  been  torn  away 
from  its  mouth,  and  the  pelts  were  gone. 

"Can  it  be  the  work  of  wolves?"  asked  Ed 


172  THE  CRUISE  OF  THE  FIREFLY 

Willis  in  surprise.  "I  see  they  have  picked  the 
bones  of  the  bears  clean,"  and  he  pointed  down 
the  ledge  where  the  carcasses  of  the  animals 
had  been  tumbled  the  night  before. 

"No  animal  ever  pulled  these  rocks  away," 
Tom  declared,  emphatically,  "for  see,  they  have 
been  thrown  into  one  pile ;  then,  too,  there  are  no 
fragments  of  the  pelts  lying  around,  as  there 
would  be  if  the  skins  had  been  torn  in  pieces 
here.  No,  I  tell  you  it  is  the  work  of  human 
depredators.  The  pelts  have  been  carried 
away. ' ' 

"Who  in  the  world  would  take  the  trouble  to 
lug  the  heavy  things  off?"  asked  Fred  Williams 
incredulously. 

"Jones  and  his  rascally  crew,"  answered 
Tom  promptly;  "and  I'd  just  like  to  run  in 
with  them  for  five  minutes.  I  bet  they  wouldn't 
carry  off  anything  else  belonging  to  us  right 
away. ' ' 

This  sentiment  was  heartily  endorsed  by  his 
comrades ;  and  with  their  wrath  kindled  into 
flame  by  this  new  outrage  the  boys  began  their 
return. 

As  they  reached  the  junction  of  the  gorges, 
Tom,  who  was  slightly  in  advance  of  the  others, 
suddenly  stopped,  and  motioned  with  his  hand 
for  his  companions  to  become  quiet.    Wonder- 


THE  MISSING  PELTS  173 

ing  what  he  had  discovered,  they  came  noise- 
lessly to  his  side. 

"Some  one  is  coming  up  the  ravine,"  he  said, 
"listen !" 

The  quick,  steady  tread  of  two  persons  was 
clearly  discernible,  and  the  low  hum  of  voices 
in  conversation  reached  their  ears. 

Soon  the  approaching  parties  were  near 
enough  for  their  words  to  be  distinguished. 

"Are  we  near  the  mountain  spur  where  the 
gorge  divides?"  one  asked. 

"It  can't  be  much  farther,"  the  other  replied. 

"It  is  Jones  and  Howard,"  Tom  announced 
under  his  breath.  "They  are  coming  up  here 
for  some  purpose,  perhaps  for  the  banners. 
Quick  into  the  cover  of  the  bushes.  We'll  let 
them  pass,  and  then  follow  them." 

The  next  minute  he  and  his  comrades  were 
concealed  behind  the  adjacent  shrubbery,  and 
almost  breathlessly  awaiting  their  rivals'  ap- 
proach. 


CHAPTER  XVIII 

AN  UNPLEASANT  WRANGLE 

44T  DON'T  see  what  you  wanted  to  tramp 
I  clear  up  here  for,  anyway.  The  ban- 
ners are  safe  enough  where  they  are," 
Howard  a  moment  later  complained. 

"I  know  they  are  safe  enough,"  Jones  re- 
joined, "but  they  are  too  far  away.  I  want 
them  concealed  nearer  our  camp,  where  we  can 
get  them  at  a  few  minutes'  notice  if  we  get  a 
chance  to  run  by  our  rivals." 

"What's  the  use  of  carrying  them  off  with 
us?  Leave  them  where  they  are,  and  Wallace 
and  his  crew  will  never  find  them. ' ' 

"But  we  can't  tell  what  kind  of  a  row  those 
fellows  may  stir  up  when  they  get  back  to  Mel- 
rose," remonstrated  Reed;  "they  now  know  we 
are  here,  and  we  can't  get  out  of  the  scrape  as 
we  might  have  done  had  we  not  been  discovered. 
We  may  be  forced  to  produce  the  flags  yet,  and 
we  don't  want  to  have  to  come  way  back  here 
for  them.    Besides,  we  are  not  out  of  the  woods 

174 


AN  UNPLEASANT  WRANGLE  175 

yet,  and  we  may  have  to  surrender  the  banners 
to  get  away." 

' '  Caving  in  already, ' '  sneered  Jack. 

"No,  I'm  not,"  replied  Jones,  angrily. 
'  *  I  'm  longer  headed  than  you,  and  don 't  believe 
in  burning  a  bridge  behind  me  until  I'm  sure  I 
don't  want  to  use  it  to  make  good  my  retreat." 

Before  Howard  could  reply,  if  he  meant  to 
do  so,  an  accident  occurred  which  precipitated  a 
meeting  between  the  members  of  the  two  camps. 

Tom  had  concealed  himself  behind  a  clump  of 
hazel  bushes,  a  little  nearer  the  approaching 
boys  than  his  comrades.  Eager  to  see  as  well 
as  to  hear  the  new  comers,  he  leaned  one  hand 
upon  a  sapling  in  front  of  him  and  with  his 
other  hand  pushed  aside  the  limbs  to  obtain  an 
unobstructed  vision. 

The  sapling  proved  insufficient  to  sustain  his 
weight  as  he  bent  forward  upon  it,  and,  snap- 
ping close  at  the  ground,  it  sent  the  lad  head- 
long through  the  bush,  almost  to  his  rivals' 
feet. 

Tom  was  equal  to  the  occasion,  however,  for 
springing  up,  as  his  companions,  recognizing 
the  fact  that  a  meeting  with  Howard  and  Jones 
was  now  inevitable,  came  flocking  about  him, 
he  said: 

' '  Good  morning,  Keed !    Good  morning,  Jack ! 


176  THE  CRUISE  OF  THE  FIREFLY 

I  beg  your  pardon  for  coming  so  unceremo- 
niously into  your  presence. ' ' 

The  two  High  School  boys  made  no  reply,  and 
seemed  by  their  attitude  to  be  uncertain 
whether  to  stand  their  ground  or  to  run  away. 

Noticing  this,  Tom,  in  a  perfectly  nonchalant 
manner,  went  on : 

' 'It '11  make  no  great  difference,  however; 
we've  wanted  to  see  you  and  ask  you  a  few 
questions  for  some  time,  and  I  may  as  well  be- 
gin now.  Taking  your  last  contemptible  act 
first,  where  are  the  bear  skins  you  have  stolen?" 

He  may  have  put  undue  emphasis  upon  the 
last  word.  It  stung  Jones,  and  with  heighten- 
ing color  he  answered : 

' ' Bear  skins?  I  don't  know  what  you  mean. 
We  haven't  seen  or  touched  any." 

"I  presume,"  replied  Tom  hotly,  for  he 
thought  the  lad  before  him  was  telling  an  out 
and  out  lie,  "you  will  now  go  right  on  and  say 
you  know  nothing  about  the  sharpie  you  de- 
stroyed, or  the  banners  you  carried  off.  I  used 
to  think  you  had  honor  enough  about  you, 
Jones,  to  tell  the  truth,  but  association  with  a 
liar  has  made  you  a  liar,  too." 

"Whom  are  you  calling  a  liar?",  asked 
Howard,  fiercely,  and  toying  with  the  handle  of 
a  revolver  he  carried  in  his  belt. 


AN  UNPLEASANT  WRANGLE  177 

' i  If  the  coat  fits,  you  can  put  it  on, ' '  retorted 
Tom,  insinuatingly. 

The  language  and  temper  of  the  speaker  are 
not  to  be  commended;  but  when  it  is  remem- 
bered that  he  was  still  rankling  with  the  wrath 
that  the  disappearance  of  the  pelts  had  kindled 
within  him,  and  was  additionally  incensed  by 
the  denial  to  which  he  had  just  listened,  it  will 
at  least  account  for  the  resentment  and  strong 
feeling  he  was  showing. 

"I  don't  wear  borrowed  goods  "  was  Jack's 
reply  to  Tom's  insinuation. 

"No,  I  ought  to  have  remembered  that;  you 
steal  them,"  Sexsmith  promptly  answered. 

' '  Say  that  again,  and  I  '11  let  daylight  through 
you,"  cried  Howard,  boiling  over  with  rage. 

"It  isn't  necessary;  I  want  nothing  to  do 
with  you,"  replied  Tom,  cooling  off  a  little. 
Then  he  turned  to  Jones: 

"Keed,"  he  said,  "we  overheard  you  talking 
about  the  banners,  and  know  you  have  come  up 
here  after  them.  Haven't  you  honor  enough 
about  you  now  to  return  them  to  us,  especially 
since  we  have  harmed  you  in  no  way  f ' ' 

"You  haven't  had  the  chance,"  Jones  inter- 
rupted with  a  grin. 

"Yes  we  have,"  replied  Sexsmith;  "the  day 
you  chased  that  otter  up  the  ravine  on  the  other 
12 


178  THE  CRUISE  OF  THE  FIREFLY 

side  of  the  lake  Harry  and  I  were  concealed  in 
the  bushes,  and  actually  went  into  your  tent. 
We  could  have  carried  off  every  gun  you  had 
and  your  yawl,  too,  but  we  wouldn't.  We  only 
wanted  our  property,  and  that  is  all  we  ask 
now.  Why  can 't  you  give  the  flags  back,  unite 
the  camps,  and  make  this  a  jolly  trip  for  all  of 
us?" 

"What  do  you  say,  Jack?"  asked  Jones, 
turning  to  his  companion,  and  there  was  per- 
ceptible in  his  tones  a  willingness  to  comply 
with  the  request. 

1 '  Think  ?  That  you  are  a  sneak  to  favor  any 
such  proposition,"  Howard  fairly  yelled.  "If 
that's  your  game,  I  promise  you  that  you  nor 
Wallace  won't  ever  see  those  banners  again." 

His  reply  had  its  effect  upon  Jones. 

"We  refuse  to  give  up  the  flags,"  he  said; 
then  he  asked,  curiously;  "What  are  you  going 
to  do  about  it?" 

"Just  this,"  responded  Tom,  quickly;  "we'll 
carry  you  and  Howard  to  our  camp  and  keep 
you  there  until  you  are  willing  to  come  to 
terms." 

Then  to  his  companions  he  cried : 

"Look  out  for  Reed,  boys,  I'll  take  care  of 
Jack." 

As  he  spoke  he  advanced  upon  Howard,  who 


AN  UNPLEASANT  WRANGLE  179 

was  a  few  feet  in  front  of  him,  when  the  cow- 
ardly fellow  drew  his  revolver,  and  cocking  it, 
pointed  it  full  at  Tom's  breast,  saying: 

"Lay  your  hand  on  me,  and  I'll  shoot  you 
down  like  a  dog. ' ' 

Unintimidated  by  the  threat,  however,  Tom 
seized  his  antagonist's  shoulder.  Whether 
Jack  would  have  fired  is  a  question.  He  was 
exceedingly  angry,  and  might  have  committed 
an  act  at  that  moment  he  would  have  had  rea- 
son to  regret  all  his  life,  but  he  was  prevented. 
Before  he  could  pull  the  trigger  of  his  pistol, 
some  one  jumped  from  behind  a  tree  not  a  half 
dozen  feet  away,  and  swinging  a  stick  through 
the  air,  struck  the  arm  holding  the  revolver  a 
blow  that  sent  the  weapon  flying  through  the 
air  to  a  distance  of  ten  yards  or  more. 

Then  a  voice  rang  out : 

"Let  Jones  and  Howard  go,  boys.  Harry 
wouldn't  keep  them  in  camp  ten  minutes  after 
you  brought  them  there.  Nor  would  he  have 
you  do  a  single  thing  here  to-day  to  disgrace 
yourselves  or  him." 

The  speaker  was  Cripple  Ben,  and  in  order 
to  explain  his  opportune  presence  at  the  junc- 
tion of  the  gorges,  we  shall  have  to  go  back  to 
the  time  his  companions  left  him  at  the  lake. 

As  Tom  and  his  party  disappeared  up  the 


180  THE  CRUISE  OF  THE  FIREFLY 

gorge,  the  halt  boy  pushed  off"  the  yawl  from 
the  point,  and  rowed  around  to  the  mouth  of  the 
stream  that  flowed  down  the  ravine.  Beaching 
the  boat  here,  where  it  would  be  in  plain  sight, 
he  took  his  rod  and  hobbled  along  to  the  little 
basin  just  below  the  rapids,  the  water  was  deep 
and  quiet,  but  Ben  felt  sure  beneath  its  surface 
lurked  many  a  speckled  beauty,  and  he  prepared 
himself  to  make  good  the  boast  he  had  uttered 
as  he  parted  with  his  comrades. 

At  the  first  drop  of  his  fly  there  was  a  splash, 
the  leader  straightened  out,  and  the  boy  began 
to  reel  in  the  line,  muttering  to  himself: 

"I've  got  a  porpoise,  I  should  think  by  the 
feeling.  It's  the  biggest  trout  I  ever  hooked 
anyway.     Just  see  him  pull. ' ' 

The  fish  was  rushing  around  for  dear  life, 
dragging  the  line  through  the  water  with 
strange  velocity,  and  making  the  reel  sing  with 
a  degree  of  violence  truly  amazing. 

Ben,  however,  slowly  wore  out  his  opponent 
until  that  creature  grew  sufficiently  docile  to 
permit  him  to  draw  him  in.  As  he  lifted  him 
up  the  cause  of  all  the  mysterious  pulling  and 
hauling  was  suddenly  manifest — there  were  two 
trout  instead  of  one  on  the  line — neither  of 
which  would  have  weighed  a  fraction  less  than 
three  pounds. 


AN  UNPLEASANT  WRANGLE  181 

"That's  a  good  beginning,"  he  soliloquized, 
securing  his  fish,  and  making  a  second  cast. 

This  time  he  struck  three  fish — one  on  every 
fly  on  the  leader — and  how  they  made  the  water 
boil.  It  seemed  as  though  they  pulled  in  all 
directions  at  once.  But  Ben  was  cool  headed 
and  strong  armed,  and  succeeded  in  landing 
two  of  the  trio,  larger  far  than  those  of  his  first 
catch. 

"I've  struck  the  place  where  these  fellows 
live  when  at  home,"  he  remarked,  facetiously, 
as  he  made  a  third  cast. 

He  caught  a  handsome  fellow  in  less  than  a 
minute,  and  this  continued  until  he  had  twelve 
fish  before  him,  varying  from  a  pound  and  a 
half  to  four  pounds  in  weight. 

"If  I  keep  on  like  this  I  shall  load  the  boat 
before  the  boys  return,"  he  thought. 

As  his  fly  entered  the  stream  for  the  thir- 
teenth time,  however,  there  was  a  huge  break; 
the  head  and  part  of  a  body  of  a  wondrous  trout 
rose  to  the  surface,  and  then  there  was  busi- 
ness. The  fellow  had  everything  his  own  way 
also.  He  started  straight  for  the  open  lake, 
and  he  carried  fly  and  line  with  him.  Ben  had 
his  rod,  reel,  and  perhaps  four  feet  of  the  line ; 
the  fish  had  everything  else. 

There's    nothing    small    about    that,    I'm 


a 


182  THE  CRUISE  OF  THE  FIREFLY 

sure,"  cried  Ben,  ruefully,  as  he  gazed  at  Ms 
despoiled  pole,  "and  the  worst  of  it  is  I've  no 
other  fly  with  me.  Well,  I  suppose  I  ought  to 
be  satisfied  with  this  haul." 

He  took  the  piece  of  line  he  had  left,  and 
strung  his  fish  upon  it,  and  was  about  to  return 
to  his  boat,  when  he  dropped  suddenly  to  the 
ground,  and  rolled  over  into  the  bushes. 

The  reason  for  bis  act  was  soon  apparent. 
Eeed  Jones  and  Jack  Howard  were  passing  up 
the  other  side  of  the  stream. 

The  moment  they  had  disappeared  up  the 
gorge,  however,  Ben  was  full  of  action.  Pick- 
ing up  his  crutches,  he  hastened  to  the  yawl 
with  his  fish  and  rod,  then  he  started  up  the 
ravine  on  the  trail  of  his  rivals. 

He  could  go  but  slowly  at  the  best,  and  had 
the  brook  to  cross  at  the  first  available  point, 
so  he  did  not  arrive  at  the  juncture  of  the 
gorges  until  Tom  and  his  comrades  had  met 
Reed  and  Jack.  Stopping  behind  an  adjacent 
tree,  he  listened  to  their  conversation  until 
Howard  drew  his  pistol ;  then  swinging  himself 
forward,  he  by  a  powerful  blow  from  one  of 
his  crutches  sent  the  weapon  spinning  some 
yards  away,  and  called  upon  his  friends  to 
abandon  their  purpose  of  capturing  the  High 
School  boys. 


AN  UNPLEASANT  WRANGLE  183 

His  appeal  was  heard,  and  heeded.  Fred, 
Bob,  and  Ed  released  Jones  whom  they  already 
held,  and  Tom  let  go  of  Howard's  shoulder. 

The  latter,  finding  himself  free,  turned  upon 
the  crippled  lad. 

"Take  that  for  your  interference,' '  he 
screamed,  plunging  his  clenched  fist  into  Ben's 
face. 

The  blow  was  a  powerful  one,  and  the  halt 
boy,  taken  unawares,  went  down  before  it  like 
a  shot. 

"Shame!"  cried  Tom  and  his  comrades, 
springing  forward  to  raise  the  fallen  lad ;  a  cry 
in  which  Jones  joined;  then,  catching  sight  of 
Ben's  white  face  he  turned  and  followed  the 
cowardly  striker  in  his  flight  down  the  gorge. 

Tom  raised  the  cripple  to  a  sitting  position, 
while  Ed  Willis  ran  to  the  brook  for  water. 
Before  he  returned,  however,  Ben  had  opened 
his  eyes. 

"I'm  all  right,"  he  said,  "and  had  I  been 
sound  on  my  feet  would  not  have  fallen.  In  a 
few  minutes  I'll  be  so  I  can  accompany  you 
back  to  the  boat." 

"We'll  carry  you,"  all  declared;  and  in  a 
few  minutes  they  had  constructed  a  rude  litter, 
upon  which  they  placed  Ben  in  spite  of  his 


184  THE  CRUISE  OF  THE  FIREFLY 

remonstrances,  and  began  their  march  for  the 
lake. 

"I  took  the  yawl  around  to  the  month  of  the 
stream/'  Ben  explained  as  they  drew  near  to 
the  end  of  the  ravine. 

They  therefore  carried  him  to  that  point  to 
find  the  boat  gone. 

"Those  rascals  saw  it  and  have  run  off  with 
it;  so  there  goes  our  last  row-boat/ '  exclaimed 
Ed  Willis  in  disgust,  the  moment  the  discovery 
was  made. 

"To  say  nothing  of  my  rod  and  fish," 
chimed  in  Ben  with  a  tone  that  made  his  com- 
panions laugh  notwithstanding  the  awkward 
predicament  in  which  they  found  themselves. 

"I  wonder  what  those  fellows  will  take 
next  ? ' '  Tom  added  wrathf ully. 

"From  these  remarks  it  is  evident  that  all 
believed  Jones  and  Howard  had  stolen  their 
boat,  and  yet  had  they  looked  closely  along  the 
shore  they  would  seen  there  was  but  a  single 
track,  and  that  too  large  to  have  been  made  by 
either  one  of  the  suspected  lads. 


CHAPTER  XIX 

A  MIDNIGHT  ALARM 

44T  'D  LIKE  to  know  how  we  are  to  get  over 

I       to  the  island ! ' '  said  Eob  Hunt,  after  he 

and  the  other  boys  had  looked  up  the 

shore  of  the  lake,  and  over  towards  the  islands 

for  the  missing  craft. 

"We  could  walk  down  the  beach  until  oppo- 
site the  camp,  and  signal  Harry  to  come  over 
after  us,  were  it  not  for  Ben,"  Fred  Williams 
suggested. 

"One  would  be  enough  for  that  job,"  put  in 
Ed  Willis;  "the  rest  of  us  could  remain  here 
until  the  launch  came  across." 

"But  it'll  take  some  time  to  carry  out  that 
plan,  and  meanwhile  the  rascals  who  took  the 
boat  are  getting  farther  and  farther  away, ' '  ob- 
jected Tom. 

"Can't  we  arrange  so  as  to  help  along  both 
of  these  purposes!"  asked  Ben.  "Of  course 
we  don't  know  certainly  which  way  the  thieves 
have  gone  with  the  yawl,  but  probably  up  the 
shore,  or  over  to  some  of  the  nearest  islands. 

185 


186  THE  CRUISE  OF  THE  FIREFLY 

We  shall,  therefore,  need  the  launch  to  make  a 
thorough  search." 

"Why  not  have  two  of  you  go  up  the  lake, 
examining  every  cove  as  far  as  the  main  inlet 
at' the  west  end?  On  arriving  there  they  can 
wait  for  the  steamer  to  pick  them  up.  Then 
two  of  you  can  go  down  the  shore  until  opposite 
the  island,  and  swim  over  there.  I  suggest  this 
course,  for  it  will  save  time.  Even  if  Harry 
saw  your  signal  at  once,  you'd  have  to  wait 
until  he  got  up  steam,  before  he  could  run 
across  for  you.  By  swimming  across  you 
would  acquaint  him  with  the  facts  sooner,  and 
then  too  he  could  come  up  the  lake  as  soon  as 
the  launch  was  ready  for  use." 

"But  that  will  leave  you  here  all  alone,  Ben," 
Tom  protested. 

"Well,  nothing  will  hurt  me,"  he  replied  with 
a  laugh;  "and  you  can  run  in  after  me  as  you 
go  up  the  lake. ' ' 

"Then  I'll  be  one  to  swim  over  to  the  camp," 
said  Tom. 

"I'll  go  along  with  you,"  volunteered  Ed 
Willis. 

This  arrangement  was  satisfactory  to  Wil- 
liams and  Hunt,  and  they  started  up  towards 
the  western  extremity  of  the  sheet  of  water  to 
search  for  the  lost  boat. 


A  MIDNIGHT  ALARM  187 

Tom  and  Ed  a  half -hour  later  reached  a  point 
opposite  the  islet,  and  making  a  rude  raft  of 
dry  wood  to  convey  their  clothing,  they,  push- 
ing it  before  them,  began  their  long  swim. 

Twenty  minutes  after  they  emerged  from  the 
water  at  the  north  side  of  the  island,  where 
Harry  and  Frank  were  standing,  for  they  had 
discovered  their  comrades  swimming  over,  and 
walked  up  to  that  point  to  meet  them. 

In  a  moment  Tom  explained  the  situation, 
and  Harry  promptly  gave  his  orders : 

"  Frank,  hurry  to  the  launch  and  light  her 
fires ;  you  '11  find  them  all  ready  for  the  match. 
Tom  and  Ed,  dress  yourselves  at  your  leisure, 
and  remain  in  charge  of  the  camp." 

Then  he  hurried  off  to  the  steamer  himself. 

In  ten  minutes,  by  the  frequent  application 
of  kerosene  to  the  fires,  steam  enough  was  in 
the  boilers  to  warrant  a  start,  and  away  the 
Fire-Fly  sped. 

At  the  point  by  the  ravine  Ben  was  taken  on 
board,  and  then  a  run  was  made  over  among  the 
islands.  No  trace  of  the  yawl  was  found  there, 
however,  and  the  launch  was  headed  for  the 
main  stream  at  the  west  end  of  the  lake. 

Hunt  and  Williams  were  already  there,  and 
reported  no  signs  of  the  thieves,  though  they 


188  THE  CRUISE  OF  THE  FIREFLY 

had  carefully  examined  the  whole  north  and 
west  shores. 

"They  must  have  had  time  to  reach  the  brook 
here  before  you  fellows  arrived  at  the  lake," 
Harry  said  thoughtfully  on  receiving  this  re- 
port ; ' '  somewhere  up  its  banks  also  is  doubtless 
their  camp.  We  must  arrange  a  trip  up  there 
to-morrow. ' ' 

"I  don't  see  how  Jones  and  Howard  could 
have  come  up  the  lake  as  far  as  this  before  we 
reached  the  mouth  of  the  ravine,"  Ben  re- 
sponded ;  "  if  they  take  the  boat  at  all  they  must 
still  be  lurking  around  this  part  of  the  lake. ' ' 

"You  say  if  they  took  it,"  Harry  remarked 
with  evident  surprise;  "who  else  could  have 
taken  it?" 

"I  don't  know,"  Ben  replied  shaking  his 
head  meditatively;  "there  is  something  mys- 
terious about  the  boat's  disappearance  I  con- 
fess, but  I'd  examine  the  island,  and  both  shores 
more  thoroughly  before  I  returned  to  camp." 

"It  shall  be  done,"  answered  Harry  decid- 
edly, giving  the  word  for  the  steamer  to  move. 

A  thorough  examination  was  now  made  of 
the  whole  upper  portion  of  the  lake,  but  not  a 
sign  of  the  missing  boat  was  discovered,  and 
at  last  the  search  was  given  up,  and  the  search- 
ers returned  to  their  camp. 


A  MIDNIGHT  ALARM  189 

When  the  boys  were  all  together  again,  there 
arose  an  earnest  discussion  about  the  policy 
best  to  adopt  toward  their  rivals ;  and  with  the 
exception  of  Ben  and  Harry,  there  was  a  unani- 
mous opinion  that  a  systematic  plan  of  retalia- 
tion should  be  arranged,  and  carried  out  just  as 
soon  as  the  other  encampment  could  be  re-dis- 
covered. 

"When  Howard  knocked  Ben  down,"  said 
Tom  hotly,  "I  thought  the  time  had  come  to 
put  an  end  to  this  whole  business,  and  for  one, 
I'm  for  following  them  up,  and  not  leaving 
them  so  much  as  a  crust  of  bread  to  save  them 
from  starvation." 

"That's  the  talk,"  cried  several  of  the  other 
boys  together. 

"I  am  quite  sure,"  remarked  Harry,  with 
rising  indignation  in  his  tones,  and  throwing 
his  arm  affectionately  over  Ben's  shoulders, 
"that  it  will  be  well  for  Jack  Howard  to  keep 
out  of  my  reach  for  some  time  to  come,  or  there 
may  be  a  little  unpleasantness  between  us.  But 
how  about  the  others?  From  what  you  say,  I 
think  Jones  is  relenting,  and  there  is  some  pros- 
pect of  a  reconciliation  with  Mm. ' ' 

"Yes,"  assented  Tom  frankly.  "The  con- 
versation we  overheard  between  him  and 
Howard  shows   he   was  not   sure  yet  but  he 


190  THE  CRUISE  OF  THE  FIREFLY 

might  want  to  settle  things  with  us,  and  he  did 
join  in  our  cry  of  shame!  when  Ben  was  struck 
down. ' ' 

' '  I  suggest  that  we  do  this, ' '  continued  Harry 
with  the  manner  of  one  who  was  asking  a  great 
favor  of  his  hearers;  "let  us  find  the  other 
camp  again  and  in  an  honorable  way  demand 
the  return  of  our  property;  if  the  request  is 
refused  then  we  will  take  it,  by  force  if  neces- 
sary, wherever  we  can  find  it.  But  so  far  as 
anything  that  belongs  to  them  is  concerned  I 
do  hope  we  will  still  hold  ourselves  above  doing 
it  the  slightest  injury. " 

"How  about  themV  inquired  Tom  slyly. 

"Well,  I'm  ready  to  admit  that  I  don't  want 
to  hurt  any  of  them  if  I  can  help  it,"  Harry 
replied  with  a  laugh;  "but  they  mustn't  hit 
Ben  again,  or  as  for  that  matter  any  of  the  rest 
of  you,  when  I'm  around.  If  they  are  coming 
to  blows,  I  shall  urge  a  manly  self-defense," 
and  he  threw  out  his  broad  shoulders  and  made 
a  pass  with  his  fists  at  an  imaginary  foe  with  a 
dexterity  and  power  that  showed  he  would  be 
no  mean  antagonist  if  forced  into  a  contest. 

'  *  Harry  is  right,  and  you  '11  all  agree  to  follow 
him  in  this  thing,  won't  you!"  Ben  asked  of  the 
other  lads,  and  the  pleading  look  that  accom- 
panied his  words  won  the  day. 


A  MIDNIGHT  ALARM  191 

"Here  are  our  hands  on  it,  Ben,"  they  said, 
and  after  a  hearty  shake  around,  all  turned  into 
their  blankets  but  Rob  Hunt,  who  was  to  watch 
until  midnight. 

The  beat  for  the  night  guard  was  from  the 
tent  to  the  north  shore  of  the  island,  and  thence 
around  the  beach  to  the  point  of  starting.  The 
night  was  not  very  dark  and  Rob  could  have 
followed  his  path  without  much  trouble,  had  not 
he  been  so  terribly  sleepy.  His  long  tramp 
during  the  day  had  completely  tired  him  out, 
and  after  the  camp  became  quiet,  he  found  it 
hard  work  to  keep  awake. 

In  fact  he  dropped  into  a  doze  two  or  three 
times  as  he  came  around  to  the  west  end  of  the 
islet  and  paused  to  listen  for  any  unusual 
sounds.  The  last  one  must  have  been  almost  a 
nap,  for  he  had  a  dream,  in  which  he  thought  he 
was  struggling  with  an  antagonist  who  was 
striving  to  throttle  him.  Then  he  seemed  to  be 
overcome,  and  to  fall  heavily  to  the  ground. 

The  fall  was  a  reality  and  awoke  him. 
Scrambling  to  his  feet,  he  muttered : 

"This  will  never  do.  I'll  go  around  the 
island  fast  enough  to  keep  me  awake  until  my 
watch  is  up." 

Along  the  south  beach  he  ran  at  a  dog  trot. 
Passing  around  a  small  point,  he  came  to  the 


192  THE  CRUISE  OF  THE  FIREFLY 

little  cove,  opposite  the  camp,  where  the  launch 
was  kept. 

To  his  surprise  the  yacht  was  loose,  and 
slowly  drifting  out  from  the  shore.  Though 
but  a  rod  or  two  away,  he  was  no  swimmer  and 
dared  not  plunge  into  the  water  after  her,  so  he 
ran  to  the  tents  for  help. 

"Harry,  Tom,  all  of  you,  quick!"  he  called. 
*  <  The  Fire-Fly  has  broken  loose,  and  is  already 
some  distance  out  upon  the  lake." 

In  a  moment  his  companions  were  on  their 
feet,  and  together  they  rushed  down  to  the  cove. 

' i  There  she  is ! ' '  Hunt  cried,  pointing  out  the 
craft  that  was  fast  disappearing  in  the  dark- 
ness. "Quick  now,  some  of  you  fellows  who 
are  good  swimmers,  or  she'll  drift  out  of 
sight. '  • 

Tom,  Ed,  and  Fred  were  already  stripping 
off  their  coats,  when  Harry's  voice  startled 
them. 

"These  ropes  have  been  cut,"  he  said,  "and 
the  launch  if  drifting  would  go  the  other  way." 

Perplexed,  alarmed,  the  lads  gazed  at  the 
boat.  No  one  could  be  seen  within  her;  no 
steam  was  up;  no  oars  were  out;  yet  she  was 
slowly  and  steadily  going  up  the  lake. 


CHAPTER  XX 

LOST  IN  THE  MOUNTAINS 

THE  launch  had  nearly  disappeared  in  the 
darkness,  when  Harry  called  out  excit- 
edly: 
"I  say,  Fred,  did  you  use  up  all  the  rockets 
the  other  night?" 

"No,  there  are  two  left;  shall  I  get  them!" 
was  Fred's  hurried  response. 

"Yes,  and  he  quick  about  it,  please;  then  fire 
them  over  the  boat.  I'm  going  to  swim  after 
her,"  Harry  answered;  and,  as  Fred  ran  back 
to  the  tent  for  the  pyrotechnics,  he  hastily  re- 
moved his  coat,  and  pulled  off  his  boots,  pre- 
paratory to  his  plunge  into  the  lake. 

Ed  Willis  and  Tom  Sexsmith  followed  his 
example,  and  in  another  minute  the  three  lads 
had  entered  the  water,  and  were  swimming 
swiftly  in  the  direction  the  tiny  steamer  had 
gone.  They  were  not  over  a  dozen  rods  from 
the  island,  when,  with  a  whiz,  a  rocket  passed 
over  their  heads,  and  bursting  a  moment  later 
with  a  brilliant  glare,  enabled  them  by  its  sud- 

13  193 


194  THE  CRUISE  OF  THE  FIREFLY 

den  light,  to  discern  the  Fire-Fly  at  no  great 
distance  beyond  them.  Evidently  they  had 
gained  rapidly  upon  her. 

Spurred  on  by  this  fact,  they  redoubled  their 
efforts,  but  had  not  taken  a  half  dozen  strokes, 
when  they  were  startled  by  a  loud  cry  that 
seemed  to  come  from  the  bosom  of  the  lake  just 
in  front  of  the  launch.  It  was  a  scream  of 
abject  terror,  so  wild,  so  unearthly,  it  scarcely 
seemed  possible  that  it  could  have  been  uttered 
by  human  lips. 

"What's  that?"  asked  Ed  Willis  in  alarm,  as 
he  stopped  swimming. 

"I  don't  know,"  responded  Harry  as  he  and 
Tom  also  ceased  their  progress.  The  trio  lis- 
tened intently.  The  light  of  the  rocket  had  dis- 
appeared, but  through  the  gloom,  they  detected 
the  dark  form  of  the  boat.  She  seemed  to  lie 
motionless  upon  the  surface  of  the  water.  No 
sound  of  any  kind,  however,  reached  their  ears. 

"The  launch  doesn't  seem  to  be  moving 
now,"  Harry  at  last  whispered;  "let  us  go 
nearer." 

Cautiously  the  boys  swam  on.  Soon  they 
were  close  to  the  yacht's  side.  Again  they 
paused.  They  could  now  see  the  vessel  quite 
clearly.  No  person  was  in  sight  upon  her  deck 
or  about  her  hull. 


LOST  IN  THE  MOUNTAINS  195 

"Ed,  you  stay  here  at  the  stern,"  Wallace 
whispered,  "while  Tom  and  I  swim  around 
her." 

As  noiselessly  as  possible,  Harry  moved 
along  the  starboard  side,  and  Tom  glided 
around  the  larboard,  until  they  met  at  the 
steamer 's  bow.  A  few  feet  of  her  painter  were 
dragging  in  the  water,  and  seizing  hold  of  this, 
the  two  lads,  in  turn,  clambered  up  to  the  deck. 

1 1  Come  on  board,  Ed, ' '  Harry  called  the  next 
instant;  "the  thieves  have  abandoned  the  craft 
to  her  rightful  owners." 

His  words  were  not  only  heard  by  the  lad  ad- 
dressed, but  in  all  probability,  by  the  boys  on 
the  island ;  for  as  Ed  started  to  obey  the  call,  a 
second  rocket  shot  clear  over  the  launch,  and 
burst  some  rods  beyond  her. 

Then  for  the  second  time  that  fearful  cry 
rang  forth.  It  came  this  time  from  just  be- 
neath the  bursting  rocket,  and  Harry  and  Tom 
turned  quickly  and  looked  in  that  direction. 

Under  the  momentary  light,  they  saw  the 
head  and  shoulders  of  an  Indian.  His  face,  on 
which  was  depicted  intense  fear,  was  turned 
towards  the  shattered  pyrotechnic,  and  he  was 
making  frantic  plunges  for  the  nearest  shore. 

Ed  also  reached  the  deck  of  the  vessel  in  time 


196  THE  CRUISE  OF  THE  FIREFLY 

to  catch  a  glimpse  of  the  fleeing  redskin  before 
the  light  faded  away,  and  exclaimed: 

"That's  the  fellow  that  was  dragging  off  the 
launch.  It  wasn't  the  lads  from  the  other  camp 
at  all." 

"It  does  look  that  way — that's  a  fact,"  an- 
swered Harry  with  a  laugh.  "But  did  you 
ever  see  a  more  frightened  scamp  in  your  life? 
I  shall  remember  his  look  to  my  dying  day. ' ' 

"I  suppose  he  never  saw  a  rocket  before,  and 
the  first  one  scared  him  so,  he  let  go  the  hawser, 
and  made  for  the  shore,"  remarked  Tom. 

"But  he  didn't  scream  out  that  time  until  the 
light  was  almost  gone,"  suggested  Ed;  "how 
do  you  account  for  that?" 

' '  Didn  't  you  notice  the  stick  of  the  first  rocket 
lying  a  few  yards  from  the  boat 's  bow  ? ' '  asked 
Harry  with  another  laugh. 

' '  I  believe  when  the  first  rocket  burst  the  fel- 
low let  go  the  rope  and  started  quietly  for  the 
shore.  Then  the  stick  fell  somewhere  near  him, 
or  perhaps  struck  him  plump  upon  the  head. 
He  thought  we  were  trying  to  shoot  him  with 
some  new  fangled  weapon.  That's  what  made 
him  yell  out  that  first  time,  and  explains  too  his 
screaming  so  quickly  at  the  second  rocket.  He 
thought  we'd  hit  him  again  sure." 

This  certainly  seemed  a  plausible  explanation 


LOST  IN  THE  MOUNTAINS  197 

of  the  incident,  and  with  considerable  merri- 
ment over  the  result  of  their  chase,  the  lads  got 
out  the  sweeps,  and  slowly  pulled  the  craft  back 
to  the  island. 

Arriving  there,  Tom,  as  spokesman  for-  the 
trio,  related  to  the  other  boys  with  great  gusto 
the  details  of  their  adventure,  and  when  the 
laugh,  which  his  recital  raised,  had  in  a  meas- 
ure subsided,  Eob  Hunt  remarked : 

"If  the  Indians  are  prowling  around,  maybe 
it  was  some  of  them  that  carried  off  our  yawl 
from  the  point, ' ' 

"And  really  took  our  bearskins,"  chimed  in 
Frank  Reynolds.  "You  know  Reed  Jones  de- 
clared that  he  knew  nothing  about  them.  What 
do  you  think,  Ben?" 

The  cripple  nodded  his  head  approvingly. 

"It  is  likely, ' '  he  said,  ' ' and  that  reminds  me 
that  Tom  and  I  found  the  encampment  down 
the  stream  deserted,  when  we  ran  by  there  on 
our  way  to  McPherson's." 

"How  did  they  get  up  here  without  our  see- 
ing them!"  asked  Fred  Williams. 

"There  is  nothing  strange  in  that,"  replied 
Ben.  "They  come  and  go  stealthily  at  all 
times,  and  they  could  have  passed  around  the 
falls  on  the  opposite  side  from  our  camp  any 
night  without  attracting  our  attention.     They 


198  THE  CRUISE  OF  THE  FIREFLY 

may  be  camping  on  the  upper  lake  now  for  all 
we  know,  or  among  the  hills  surrounding  this 
one." 

'  "It  looks  as  though  they  are  near  the  other 
lake,  for  the  fellow  we  saw  to-night  was  making 
in  that  direction, "  said  Harry.  "Let's  take  a 
run  in  the  launch  up  that  way  to-morrow,  and 
perhaps  we  may  recover  our  yawl." 

A  general  assent  was  given  to  the  proposal, 
and  as  the  three  swimmers  had  now  exchanged 
their  wet  clothing  for  dry,  all  but  the  regular 
watch  returned  to  the  tent,  and,  notwithstand- 
ing the  excitement  through  which  they  had  just 
passed,  were  soon  soundly  sleeping. 

The  next  day  proved  to  be  rainy ;  in  fact  for 
three  days  the  rain  fell  gently  but  with  little 
cessation,  and  the  lads  were  glad  to  postpone 
their  proposed  cruise  until  better  weather. 

Late  in  the  afternoon  of  the  third  day,  how- 
ever, the  wind  veered  around  to  the  west,  the 
clouds  scattered  and  the  sun  came  out.  Harry, 
Ben  and  Tom  went  down  to  the  yacht  to  bale 
her  out,  and  scrub  up  her  deck.  While  en- 
gaged in  their  task  Ben  suddenly  cried  out: 

"My!  aren't  those  beauties?" 

His  companions  looked  towards  the  north- 
west end  of  the  lake,  whither  he  was  pointing, 


LOST  IN  THE  MOUNTAINS  100 

and  saw  a  pair  of  male  caribou  feeding  on  the 
lily-pads  in  a  small  sheltered  cove. 

"Gracious!"  exclaimed  Tom;  "what  a  chance 
for  a  shot!  The  wind  is  in  this  direction,  and 
we  could  reach  the  east  side  of  that  bay  without 
their  scenting  us,  and  pop  them  over.  I  say, 
Harry,  let 's  get  their  heads  to  go  along  with  our 
lynxes  into  the  Institute  museum." 

"All  right,"  Harry  good-naturedly  replied; 
"Ben,  will  you  set  us  across  to  the  north 
shore?" 

The  halt  boy  readily  consented,  and  by  the 
time  the  launch  was  ready  for  the  run,  Tom  and 
Harry  had  cleaned  and  loaded  their  rifles  for 
the  hunt. 

Ten  minutes  later  Ben  landed  them  upon  the 
main  shore,  and  they  began  their  tramp  to  the 
cove  where  they  had  seen  the  deer. 

Crawling  well  around  to  the  eastern  extrem- 
ity of  the  little  bay,  to  keep  the  wind  in  their 
own  faces,  they  found  themselves  in  easy  range 
of  the  bucks,  and  each  selecting  his  victim,  fired. 

The  caribou  Tom  had  aimed  at  fell  where  he 
was,  but  Harry's  bounded  to  the  western  shore, 
and  fled  into  the  forest.  It  was  evident  by  his 
gait,  however,  that  he  was  hit  hard,  and,  telling 
Tom  to  secure  his  own  trophy,  the  lad  started 
off  on  the  trail  of  the  wounded  animal. 


200  THE  CRUISE  OF  THE  FIREFLY 

The  crimson  tracks  were  readily  followed, 
and  led  directly  back  among  the  hills.  Intent 
upon  overtaking  the  deer,  Harry  took  no  note 
of  the  lapse  of  time  or  of  the  distance  he  cov- 
ered. 

At  last  he  came  out  upon  a  small  plain,  shut 
in  by  precipitous  and  rocky  sides,  to  find  the 
buck  standing  defiantly  at  bay.  It  was  but  a 
moment's  work  for  the  boy  to  slip  a  fresh  car- 
tridge into  his  rifle,  and  then  he  took  deliberate 
aim  and  fired.  With  a  leap  into  the  air  the 
caribou  fell  back  upon  his  haunches,  and  then 
slowly  rolled  over  upon  his  side — dead. 

With  a  shout  of  triumph  Harry  ran  forward, 
and  then  paused  a  minute  or  two  in  hesitation, 
It  was  nearly  dark.  He  had  come  a  long  way, 
and  the  buck  would  be  a  heavy  load  to  carry 
back  to  the  lake. 

"I'll  take  the  head  off,  anyway,"  he  decided, 
and  drawing  his  hunting  knife,  he  knelt  down 
to  begin  work. 

Beginning  at  the  shoulders,  he  skinned  the 
neck  back  to  the  throat,  then  cut  the  head  off, 
and  wrapped  the  loose  hide  about  the  severed 
part,  to  prevent  the  blood  from  trickling  upon 
his  clothing.  He  then  tied  the  hind  legs  of  the 
carcass  together  with  a  small  cord  that  he  took 


LOST  IN  THE  MOUNTAINS  201 

from  his  pocket,  and  suspended  it  from  the  limb 
of  an  adjacent  tree. 

By  the  time  he  had  done  this,  it  was  dark,  and 
to  add  to  his  discomfiture,  a  heavy  ground  fog 
arose.  Catching  up  the  head  of  the  caribou, 
therefore,  he  retraced  his  steps  toward  the  lake 
as  rapidly  as  possible. 

Soon  he  was  unable  to  see  a  rod  before  him, 
and  was  compelled  to  slow  down  to  a  walk.  For 
a  half -hour  he  went  on  expecting  every  moment 
to  reach  the  cove,  where  he  had  left  Tom.  All 
at  once,  he  struck  against  a  dark  object  hanging 
from  a  tree  under  which  he  was  passing. 

He  put  out  one  of  his  hands  and  felt  of  it.  It 
was  the  body  of  the  deer  he  had  killed.  He  had 
been  travelling  in  a  circle  as  a  person  is  almost 
certain  to  do  under  such  circumstances,  and 
had  come  back  to  the  very  spot  he  had  left  less 
than  an  hour  before. 

The  discovery  was  far  from  pleasing.  If  he 
had  not  been  able  to  find  his  way  to  the  lake  on 
the  first  trial,  there  was  little  hope  of  doing  so 
now,  as  the  darkness  was  unpenetrable. 

Indeed,  now  that  he  thought  of  it,  he  was  not 
quite  sure  he  could  find  it  at  all.  He  was  not 
able  to  recall  a  single  landmark  along  the  way 
he  had  come,  of  which  he  could  be  absolutely 


202  THE  CRUISE  OF  THE  FIREFLY 

certain,  so  little  heed  had  he  given  to  the  ground 
on  his  way  thither. 

From  this  revery,  he  was  rudely  awakened 
by  a  short,  sharp  yelp  close  at  hand.  With 
alarm,  he  dropped  the  caribou's  head  he  was 
carrying,  and  grasped  his  rifle  for  instant  use, 
for  he  knew  the  cry  was  that  of  the  mountain 
wolf,  calling  together  his  mates. 


CHAPTER  XXI 

THE  INDIAN  CAMP 

SOME  minutes  elapsed  before  Harry  heard 
the  cry  again;  and  since  it  sounded  no 
nearer,  he  would  have  taken  fresh  hope 
had  not  there  been  answering  cries  from  the 
hills  around.  The  call  and  the  responses  left 
no  doubt  that  the  wolves  had  scented  their 
prey. 

"It's  the  carcass  of  the  caribou  that  draws 
them  here,"  he  thought,  with  some  misgiving; 
"I'll  go  up  the  plain  a  way,  and  perhaps  they 
won't  follow  me." 

He  picked  up  the  deer's  head,  for  he  still  had 
no  notion  of  surrendering  that  to  the  approach- 
ing beasts,  and  with  it  under  one  arm,  and  his 
rifle  under  the  other,  ran  in  the  direction  oppo- 
site to  that  from  which  the  yelps  of  the  wolves 
had  come. 

He  saw  nothing  in  the  darkness,  and  must 
have  happened  upon  an  unusually  clear  place; 
for  he  went  some  rods  without  meeting  with 
any  obstruction.     Then  he  was  struck  violently 

203 


204  THE  CRUISE  OF  THE  FIREFLY 

by  the  lower  limbs  of  a  hemlock.  The  sharp 
needles  produced  a  smarting  sensation,  but  he 
paid  little  attention  to  that,  as  he  was  already 
busy  in  mind  with  a  plan  of  action  which  he  be- 
lieved must  insure  his  safety. 

Walking  cautiously  forward,  he  soon  came  to 
the  trunk  of  the  tree  and  found  to  his  satisfac- 
tion it  was  a  large  one,  being  not  less  than  three 
feet  through  at  the  butt.  Laying  down  his 
bundle  for  a  moment,  he  slung  his  rifle  by  its 
strap  across  his  back.  Then  he  took  from  his 
pocket  a  stout  cord,  similar  to  that  with  which 
he  had  suspended  the  carcass  of  the  deer  to  the 
tree  a  little  distance  below  him,  and  tied  one  end 
around  the  antlers  of  the  caribou.  The  other 
end  was  secured  to  his  cartridge  belt,  His 
hands  were  now  free,  and  he  speedily  put  them 
to  good  use. 

Grasping  the  limb,  which  had  struck  his  face, 
he  pulled  it  down  until  he  obtained  a  firm  grip 
upon  the  branch  at  a  point  where  it  was  large 
enough  to  sustain  his  weight,  and  drew  himself 
up  astride  of  it.  Slowly  working  his  way  back 
to  the  tree  trunk  he  found  he  could  readily 
reach  the  limbs  next  above  his  head. 

Untying  now  the  end  of  the  cord  from  his 
belt,  he  drew  the  head  of  the  buck  up  to  the 
branch  upon  which  he  was  perched  and  firmly 


THE  INDIAN  CAMP  205 

fastened  it  there.  Then  he  ascended  the  tree 
for  ten  or  twelve  feet,  until  he  found  a  place 
where  a  junction  of  limbs  afforded  him  a  com- 
paratively comfortable  seat,  and  there  he 
stopped  to  await  developments. 

Thus  far  he  had  been  too  busy  with  his  plans 
for  his  own  safety  to  pay  much  attention  to  the 
nearness  of  his  savage  pursuers ;  but,  now  they 
were  completed,  he  was  startled  to  find  that 
several  of  the  beasts  were  already  jumping  and 
snarling  under  the  carcass  of  the  deer  only  a 
few  rods  away.  Nor  was  it  long  before  a  "dull 
thud,"  followed  by  the  sounds  of  cracking  bones 
and  tearing  flesh,  told  him  that  they  had  suc- 
ceeded in  pulling  the  body  of  the  caribou  from 
the  limb  to  which  it  had  been  tied. 

The  snarls  and  yelps  of  the  animals  as  they 
fought  over  their  prey  were  anything  but  reas- 
suring, and  every  fresh  arrival  was  heralded  by 
his  hungry  and  disappointed  howls,  which 
added  new  horror  to  the  situation. 

Harry  had  little  hope  as  he  now  listened  to 
the  medley  of  sounds,  that  the  hunger  of  the 
pack  would  be  at  all  appeased  by  what  they  had 
secured.  Indeed,  among  so  many  it  only 
whetted  their  appetites,  and  he  sat  in  momen- 
tary expectation  of  having  the  howling  throng 
directly  beneath  him. 


206  THE  CRUISE  OF  THE  FIREFLY 

Nor  had  he  long  to  wait.  It  could  not  have 
been  ten  minutes  that  he  sat  there,  when  a 
series  of  sharp  yelps  told  the  ravening  horde 
had  scented  his  trail.  The  next  instant,  fully  a 
score  of  the  fierce  gaunt  creatures  were  clus- 
tered abont  the  hemlock. 

It  was  with  a  feeling  akin  to  fascination,  that 
Harry  gazed  downward  into  the  sea  of  flashing 
eyes, — a  sea,  turbulent,  ever  changing,  from 
the  frantic  efforts  of  the  savage  brutes  to  reach 
their  prey,  and  yet  a  sea  carrying  below  its 
gleaming  surface  the  cruel  jaws  of  death. 

More  than  once,  the  lad  drew  his  rifle  forward 
to  fire  into  the  surging  mass,  but  checked  him- 
self; for  he  knew  that  only  five  loaded  car- 
tridges remained  in  his  belt. 

"I  may  need  them  before  I  get  out  of  this 
scrape,"  he  muttered,  "and  where  they'll  do 
me  better  service  than  now." 

After  a  while,  his  situation  became  monoton- 
ous; he  was  tired  and  sleepy  too;  his  position 
upon  the  limbs  was  cramped  and  uncomforta- 
ble. 

"I  wish  I  had  something  to  throw  down  upon 
those  fellows,"  he  soliloquized. 

He  reached  his  hand  out  and  breaking  off  a 
small  limb  near  him,  was  about  to  cast  it  down ; 
but  stopped. 


THE  INDIAN  CAMP  207 

"I  believe  wolves  don't  like  fire,"  he  com- 
mented with  a  chuckle,  "and  so  I'll  give  them  a 
close." 

He  drew  his  match-safe  from  his  pocket, 
opened  it,  and  selected  a  lucifer.  Then  he 
struck  it  and  applied  its  lighted  end  to  the 
branch  he  held.  The  resinous  needles  burst  at 
once  into  a  flame,  and  he  tossed  the  burning 
brand  into  the  living  mass  below  him. 

It  fell,  still  blazing,  upon  the  backs  of  two  of 
the  animals,  singeing  their  hair,  and  sending 
them  with  sharp  yelps  of  fright  and  pain  out 
from  the  pack  into  the  surrounding  darkness. 

Greatly  pleased  with  the  result  of  his.  novel 
experiment,  he  broke  off  a  larger  branch,  and 
lighting  it  cast  it  down.  He  followed  this  with 
a  half  dozen  others  in  so  rapid  succession,  that 
the  horde  was  completely  demoralized;  and, 
with  scorched  backs,  retreated  to  a  respectful 
distance  from  the  hemlock. 

Had  Harry  contented  himself  with  this  dis- 
comfiture of  his  assailants,  doubtless  he  would 
have  had  little  further  trouble  with  them;  but 
elated  with  his  success,  he  tore  off  still  another 
branch  and  when  it  was  ablaze  tossed  it  out 
towards  the  cowering  pack.  Instead  of  falling 
clear  of  the  surrounding  limbs,  as  he  had  in- 
tended it  should,  it  caught  and  held  for  a  mo- 


208  THE  CRUISE  OF  THE  FIREFLY 

ment,  communicating  its  own  fire  to  them,  and 
the  next  moment  that  whole  side  of  the  tree  was 
in  flames. 

Unfortunately,  too,  the  wind  was  from  that 
direction,  and  fanned  the  fire  through  to  the 
opposite  side  in  an  incredibly  brief  space  of 
time.  Surrounded  by  the  flames,  blinded  and 
suffocated  by  the  dense  smoke,  Harry  let  go  of 
his  perch  and  dropped  to  the  ground. 

In  the  light  of  the  blazing  tree,  he  saw  the 
rocky  slope  of  the  hill  but  a  few  rods  away,  and 
ran  for  that,  hoping  to  find  some  place  of  refuge 
before  the  wolves  detected  his  flight.  He 
reached  the  base  however  at  a  point  too  precip- 
itous for  him  to  climb ;  and  before  he  could  find 
a  spot  admitting  his  ascent,  the  pack  was  at  his 
heels.  A  hand  to  hand  struggle  with  them  was 
inevitable. 

As  rapidly  as  possible  he  loaded  and  fired  the 
cartridges  he  still  possessed,  and  then  grasping 
his  rifle  by  the  barrel,  he  used  it  as  a  club  upon 
two  of  the  brutes  that  were  in  the  act  of  leaping 
upon  him. 

He  laid  them  low,  but  others  instantly  took 
their  places ;  his  strength  was  nearly  exhausted ; 
in  another  minute  he  must  have  succumbed  to 
his  assailants,  when  with  a  shout,  an  Indian  lad, 
bearing  two  blazing  pine  knots  in  his  hands, 


Fighting  the  wolves. 


THE  INDIAN  CAMP  209 

leaped  down  the  rock,  and  dashed  fearlessly 
among  the  wolves.  With  a  wholesome  dread  of 
an  element  which  had  already  scorched  them 
that  night,  the  beasts  sullenly  retreated  from 
their  nearly  secured  prey. 

The  new-comer  now  turned  to  Harry,  saying 
in  fair  English: 

' '  Take  light,  follow  me. ' ' 

With  grateful  thanks  for  the  timely  rescue, 
Harry  obeyed,  and  with  a  blazing  brand  in  one 
hand,  and  his  empty  rifle  in  the  other,  followed 
his  guide  along  the  hillside  slope,  and  up  this  to 
the  summit.  The  wolves,  as  though  loth  to  sur- 
render their  intended  victim,  still  pursued  them, 
but  with  every  thrust  of  the  blazing  knots,  slunk 
back  into  the  gloom. 

In  this  way  the  two  lads  crossed  the  hill,  and 
descended  the  opposite  side  into  a  valley  where 
they  entered  an  Indian  encampment. 

Several  huge  fires  before  the  lodges,  together 
with  a  half  dozen  barking  dogs  that  rushed  sav- 
agely past  the  new-comers  toward  their  pur- 
suers, effectually  dispersed  the  horde,  and  for 
the  first  time  in  several  hours,  Harry  expe- 
rienced a  feeling  of  safety. 

Several  faces  peeped  out  of  the  wigwams  at 
the  young  stranger,  but  without  a  word  to  any 
one,  the  Indian  lad  led  Harry  to  one  of  the 

14 


210  THE  CRUISE  OF  THE  FIREFLY 

larger  habitations,  and  motioned  for  him  to 
enter. 

He  did  so,  to  find  the  lodge  unoccupied.  An- 
other motion  of  the  youthful  guide  signified  that 
his  guest  was  to  remain  there;  then  he  himself 
disappeared. 

Five  minutes  later,  he  returned  with  an  abun- 
dant supply  of  food  which  without  a  word  he 
placed  before  the  hungry  boy,  and  again  with- 
drew. 

Sticking  his  pine  Knot  into  the  soft  ground 
which  formed  the  floor  of  the  wigwam,  Harry 
did  ample  justice  to  the  repast.  Hardly  had 
he  finished  when  the  Indian  had  returned,  and 
standing  at  the  door  of  the  lodge  with  folded 
arms,  asked:     "Who  be  you?" 

In  a  few  words  Harry  told  of  his  camping 
party,  and  explained  how  he  had  become  sepa- 
rated from  his  companions,  and  lost  in  the 
mountains.  He  also  gave  an  account  of  his 
struggle  with  the  wolves  until  his  rescuer  ap- 
peared, and  closed  his  recital  by  asking  his 
auditor  how  he  happened  to  be  so  opportunely 
at  hand. 

"Me  saw  blazing  tree,  and  took  torch,  and 
ran  over  hill,  to  see  what  it  was.  Heard  gun, 
and  de  wolves,  and  come  to  help,"  explained 
the  dusky  lad.     Then  with  a  shrug  of  contempt 


THE  INDIAN  CAMP  211 

lie  added:  "Wolf,  him  nothin':  fight  him  with 
stick.' ' 

Harry  was  of  a  different  opinion,  but  did  not 
dare  to  dispute  with  his  young  host,  whose 
familiarity  with  the  wolf  and  its  usually  cow- 
ardly nature,  made  him  regard  it  with  such  con- 
tempt. His  only  reply,  therefore,  was  to  ex- 
press his  gratitude  again  for  the  help  rendered 
him,  and  to  assure  the  young  Indian  that  if  he 
would  accompany  him  to  his  camp  the  next 
morning,  he  would  see  that  he  was  fully  re- 
warded for  his  trouble. 

"Me  guide  you  to  lake,"  the  boy  said  proud- 
ly, "but  want  no  pay." 

He  pointed  to  a  heap  of  skins  in  one  corner 
of  the  lodge,  saying :     1 1  Sleep  there. ' ' 

A  moment  later  he  was  gone. 

Fatigued  by  the  exciting  experiences  he  had 
passed  through,  Harry  slept  soundly  until 
morning,  when  he  was  aroused  by  a  great  com- 
motion in  the  encampment.  He  was  at  first  un- 
able to  realize  where  he  was.  The  greatest  con- 
fusion of  noises  reached  his  ears,  but  the  bark- 
ing of  dogs  and  angry  calling  of  men  to  one  an- 
other finally  brought  him  to  a  state  of  full  con- 
sciousness. Springing  to  his  feet  he  was  about 
to  leave  the  lodge,  when  there  was  a  quick  step 
outside,  and  then  a  dark  form  entered. 


212  THE  CRUISE  OF  THE  FIREFLY 

One  glance  into  the  scowling  face  that  looked 
into  his  was  sufficient  to  convince  Harry  that 
he  had  seen  it  only  a  short  time  before.  It  was 
that  of  the  Indian  who  had  attempted  to  carry 
off  the  launch,  and  had  been  so  terrified  by  the 
rockets. 


CHAPTER  XXII 

A  STARTLING  ACCUSATION 

IT  WAS  evident  to  Harry  that  his  own  pres- 
ence in  the  lodge  had  been  entirely  unsus- 
pected by  the  Indian  until  the  moment  of 
his  entrance,  for  there  was  surprise  as  well  as 
anger  expressed  in  his  face.  Then,  too,  he 
tried,  ineffectually,  to  conceal  under  his  blanket 
the  burden  he  bore,  which  was  no  less  than  four 
shot-guns  and  their  natural  accoutrements  of 
belts  and  ammunition. 

Through  the  open  doorway  the  lad  also  caught 
sight  of  several  other  Indians,  dividing  among 
themselves  with  noisy  chatter  the  paraphernalia 
of  a  camp.  His  first  thought  was  that  a  raid 
had  been  made  upon  his  own  tents.  He  under- 
stood therefore  how  undesirable  his  unexpected 
presence  in  the  lodge  must  be  to  the  robbers. 

Another  glance  at  the  fowling  pieces  in  the 
savage's  arms,  however,  convinced  him  that  he 
was  mistaken  as  to  the  encampment  that  had 
been  plundered.     The  weapons  did  not  belong 

213 


214  THE  CRUISE  OF  THE  FIREFLY 

either  to  him  or  to  his  comrades,  and  a  suspi- 
cion at  once  came  to  him  that  it  was  their  rivals 
who  had  suffered  the  depredations. 

But  even  if  this  were  so,  a  query  arose  in  his 
mind,  whether  the  thieves  would  not  think  that 
he  belonged  to  the  party  they  had  robbed,  and 
consequently  regard  his  presence  there  as  om- 
inous to  themselves.  This  would  naturally  lead 
them  to  make  such  a  disposition  of  him  as  in 
their  own  judgment  seemed  most  likely  to  in- 
sure their  safety ;  and  recognizing  the  fact  that 
they  were  generally  governed  in  their  actions 
by  little  or  no  moral  considerations,  he  awaited 
with  no  little  alarm  for  his  visitor  to  speak. 

But  the  Indian  did  not  seem  inclined  to  do 
this.  In  fact,  he  evidently  had  quite  another 
intention  in  mind;  for  placing  the  guns,  one 
after  the  other,  outside  of  the  lodge,  he  dropped 
the  accoutrements  at  his  feet,  all  the  time  nar- 
rowly watching  the  lad. 

Something  in  the  man's  looks  as  well  as  his 
actions  suggested  to  Harry  that  he  was  prepar- 
ing himself  for  a  struggle,  and  the  youth  glanced 
instinctively  at  his  rifle  which  was  leaning 
against  the  side  of  the  wigwam,  where  he  had 
placed  it  the  evening  before,  almost  exactly  be- 
tween him  and  the  Indian.  Knowing  it  was  un- 
loaded, however,  and  that  he  was  without  am- 


A  STARTLING  ACCUSATION  215 

munition,  he  decided  to  trust  to  his  knife  for 
his  defense  when  the  necessity  arose,  and  so  he 
placed  his  hand  upon  its  haft,  ready  for  the 
drawing. 

His  movement  was  noticed  by  the  Indian, 
who,  perhaps,  misjudging  the  boy's  reason  for 
giving  up  the  rifle,  leaped  forward  with  a  whoop 
and  seized  it.  The  next  moment  he  had  cocked 
the  weapon,  and  was  pointing  it  at  the  lad's 
head. 

Serious  as  the  situation  was,  Harry  could 
hardly  refrain  from  smiling  at  the  advantage  he 
still  possessed  over  his  antagonist.  To  draw 
his  knife,  and,  regardless  of  the  levelled  weapon, 
plunge  it  into  the  redskin's  breast,  would  have 
been  an  easy  feat;  and  yet  he  could  not,  know- 
ing the  scamp's  murderous  intention,  nerve 
himself  to  this.  His  regard  for  human  life, 
even  though  it  was  that  of  an  untutored  savage, 
stayed  his  hand.  He  still  believed,  moreover, 
that  he  could  appease  the  Indian's  anger. 

' '  You  may  as  well  put  down  the  rifle ;  it  isn  't 
loaded,"  he  said,  coolly  playing  with  the  hilt 
of  his  knife. 

The  redskin  must  have  understood  him,  but 
as  if  to  test  the  accuracy  of  the  boy's  statement, 
he  pulled  the  trigger.  The  hammer  came  down 
upon  the  empty  shell  with  a  dull  click.     Xot  a 


216  THE  CRUISE  OF  THE  FIREFLY 

muscle  of  Harry's  face  moved;  indeed,  he 
laughed  aloud,  and  took  his  hand  from  his  knife, 
indicating  that  he  looked  upon  the  embryo 
struggle  as  at  an  end. 

The  Indian  lowered  the  weapon  with  a  mys- 
tified air,  and  stood  for  a  moment  irresolute. 
Then  he  was  pushed  aside,  and  the  lad  who  had 
rescued  Harry  entered.  With  a  reassuring 
glance  at  his  guest,  he  turned  to  the  man,  and, 
in  his  native  tongue,  made  rapid  explanations. 
As  he  talked  the  attitude  of  the  older  Indian 
became  less  defiant;  then  he  set  the  rifle  back  in 
its  place,  and  put  out  his  hand  to  Harry. 

"  Camp-island, "  he  briefly  said. 

Harry  nodded. 

"No  your  tings,"  he  remarked  apologetically, 
waving  his  hand  toward  the  guns  he  had  laid 
down,  and  those  articles  over  which  the  other 
Indians  were  still  wrangling. 

Harry  shook  his  head,  saying: 

"No,  they  are  not  mine." 

As  though  that  fact  settled  all  ground  for 
dispute  between  them,  the  man  again  shook 
hands  with  Harry ;  then  he  brought  in  his  guns 
and  laid  them  and  their  accoutrements  at  the 
rear  of  the  lodge,  as  doubtless  his  purpose  had 
been  when  he  first  entered. 

He  now  turned,  and  speaking  a  few  words  to 


A  STARTLING  ACCUSATION  217 

the  Indian  lad  in  their  own  language  abruptly 
left  the  wig-warn. 

' '  He  my  fader, ' '  the  young  Indian  explained ; 
"he  say  you  stay  here  till  you  habe  breakfast, 
then  I  take  you  back  to  lake." 

"All  right,"  Harry  answered,  and  then  as  he 
was  left  alone,  he  commented: 

"He  don't  mean  I  shall  look  around  much, 
or  remain  any  longer  than  possible.  Well,  let 
us  see  what  I  can  discover  from  here. ' ' 

By  slightly  changing  his  position,  he  was  able 
to  widen  his  range  of  vision  from  the  doorway 
not  only  enough  to  make  a  careful  count  of  the 
goods  the  Indians  were  dividing  in  front  of  the 
lodges,  but  to  see  a  little  farther  down  the  clear- 
ing two  large  bear  skins  stretched  on  frame- 
work, and  drying  in  the  morning  sun. 

"I'm  Yankee  enough  to  guess  where  those 
came  from,"  he  thought.  "If  I  could  only  see 
our  yawl,  my  inventory  of  the  stolen  property 
would  be  complete.  That,  however,  is  proba- 
bly concealed  over  on  the  stream  with  their 
canoes,  and  it's  worth  a  trip  up  that  way  to 
learn  if  we  can't  find  it.  I  wonder  if  the  lad 
who  rescued  me  is  off  of  the  same  piece  with 
the  rest  of  these  rascals.  He  doesn  't  act  like  it, 
and  when  I  get  him  down  to  the  camp,  I'll  see 
if  I  can't  recover  our  property  through  him.,, 


218  THE  CRUISE  OF  THE  FIREFLY 

His  soliloquy  was  interrupted  by  the  entrance 
of  the  Indian  youth  carrying  a  rude  basket  filled 
with  food,  consisting  of  canned  meats,  pre- 
served fruits,  and  crackers.  Harry  could  not 
but  feel  he  was  taking  his  breakfast  at  the  ex- 
pense of  his  rivals,  but  with  a  resolve  to  supply 
whatever  they  should  need  from  his  own  stores 
when  he  learned  their  whereabouts,  he  ate 
heartily. 

Once  the  meal  was  finished  the  young  Indian 
signified  that  he  was  ready  to  guide  his  young 
guest  back  to  his  friends. 

"They  look  for  you?"  he  inquired. 

"Yes,"  assented  Harry,  "and  for  that  rea- 
son I  am  in  a  hurry  to  be  off. ' ' 

"Then  we  go  back  the  way  you  get  lost," 
his  companion  said. 

The  fog  had  disappeared,  and  the  sun  shone 
out  warm  and  bright.  The  tramp  over  into  the 
plain  where  the  struggle  with  the  wolves  had 
taken  place,  was  quickly  made,  and  there  a  sur- 
prise awaited  Wallace.  He  found  his  deer  head 
still  tied  to  the  limb  of  the  hemlock,  and  un- 
injured. 

The  fire  had  started  in  the  branches  above 
that  upon  which  the  head  rested,  and  the  wind 
had  quickly  swept  the  flames  upward  and  across 
to  the   opposite  side  of  the  tree,  leaving  the 


A  STARTLING  ACCUSATION  219 

lower  limbs  upon  that  side  unscorched.  The 
light  cinders  that  had  fallen  from  the  burning 
needles  were  not  sufficient  to  burn  the  antlers, 
and  Harry  had  the  pleasure  of  securing  them, 
and  continuing  his  way  to  the  lake  with  them 
in  triumph. 

Before  they  reached  the  shore,  he  and  his 
young  guide  met  Tom  and  three  of  the  other 
lads,  following  up  the  trail,  in  search  of  him. 
They  gave  a  shout  of  delight,  when  they  saw 
their  leader  unharmed,  and  were  soon  about 
him  shaking  his  hands  and  calling  for  him  to 
explain  his  prolonged  absence. 

"My  story  will  keep  until  I  am  at  the  island 
where  the  other  boys  can  hear  it,"  he  said; 
"but  this  is  the  friend  through  whose  help  I 
am  now  here.  - ' 

He  turned  to  present  the  Indian  lad  to  his 
comrades,  to  find  that  he,  while  they  were  ex- 
changing their  greetings,  had  started  back  up 
the  trail. 

"Hold  on,  Oneco,"  he  cried.  "I  want  you  to 
go  over  to  the  island  with  me. ' ' 

"Me  no  need  go  now,"  the  boy  answered, 
coming  to  a  halt. 

"But  I  wanted  to  reward  you  for  your  serv- 
ices," explained  Harry. 


220  THE  CRUISE  OF  THE  FIREFLY 

"Me  want  no  reward,"  he  replied,  starting 
on  once  more. 

"Wait  just  a  minute,  Oneco,  please,"  cried 
Harry,  and,  as  the  young  Indian  stopped  again, 
he  said  quickly  to  Tom:  "Change  cartridge 
belts  with  me,  Tom." 

Wondering  what  his  captain  was  up  to  Tom 
obeyed.  His  rifle  was  exactly  like  Harry's,  and 
before  setting  out  upon  his  search  for  his  miss- 
ing comrade,  he  had  filled  his  belt  with  loaded 
cartridges. 

Seizing  the  full  belt,  and  tossing  the  empty 
one  to  Tom,  Harry  now  ran  back  to  the  waiting 
lad. 

"Here,  Oneco,  is  my  rifle,  and  this  belt  of 
cartridges,"  he  said;  "take  them  and  keep  them 
as  a  remembrance  of  me." 

The  black  eyes  of  the  young  Indian  fairly 
danced  with  pleasure,  but  he  hesitated  to  accept 
the  gift. 

"This  is  the  way  you  load  and  unload  it," 
Harry  went  on,  "and  the  size  of  the  cartridges 
is  44.  You  can  get  more  at  any  of  the  settle- 
ments down  the  river  when  these  in  the  belt  are 
gone." 

"Me  go  to  settlements  sometime,"  was 
Oneco 's  only  reply. 

Harry  now  pressed  the  rifle  and  belt  into  the 


A  STARTLING  ACCUSATION  221 

hands  of  the  boy,  and  with  a  "good  bye" 
started  back  to  his  waiting  companions. 

* '  Me  have  wolf  skins  up  there ! ' '  inquired  the 
young  Indian. 

"Certainly,"  replied  Harry,  looking  around; 
"you  are  entitled  to  them  all." 

With  a  wave  of  his  hand  the  lad  disappeared 
among  the  trees  with  a  stride  that  indicated  he 
was  hastening  to  carry  out  some  purpose. 

"Look  here,  Harry,  tell  us  what  you  fellows 
mean  by  wolves,  and  what  led  you  to  give  that 
redskin  your  rifle?"  said  Tom  as  his  leader 
joined  him. 

"I  was  beset  by  wolves  last  night  and  Oneco, 
as  I  heard  him  called,  saved  my  life,"  Harry 
answered.  "But  I  will  tell  you  all  my  experi- 
ences when  we  are  in  camp.  Did  you  wait  long 
for  my  coming!" 

"Just  as  long  as  there  was  the  slightest  hope 
of  your  return,"  Tom  responded.  "Then  I 
went  back  to  the  island  with  Ben  who  had  run 
on  up  to  the  cove  to  see  what  was  delaying  us. 
This  morning  we  started  out  to  look  you  up, 
but  the  difficulty  in  following  the  trail  prevented 
our  meeting  you  sooner." 

In  a  short  time  they  reached  the  cove,  where 
they  found  Cripple  Ben  and  his  launch  waiting 
for  them,  and,  embarking  had  run  several  rods 


222  THE  CRUISE  OF  THE  FIREFLY 

off  the  shore,  when  a  shout  attracted  their  at- 
tention. 

Glancing  around  they  saw  Reed  Jones  on  the 
beach,  and  he  immediately  called  out : 

"Will  you  come  back  here  a  moment?" 

With  some  inkling  of  the  reason  why  the  rival 
captain  sought  this  interview,  Harry  asked  Ben 
to  return  to  the  bank. 

In  a  few  minutes  they  touched  the  shore,  and 
Jones  stepped  on  board. 

"May  I  look  into  your  cabin?"  he  asked. 

"With  pleasure,"  replied  Harry,  throwing 
back  the  hatch  and  inviting  his  visitor  to  enter. 

He  accepted  the  invitation  with  alacrity,  and 
when  within  the  saloon  glanced  searchingly 
about  him. 

With  a  look  of  disappointment  he  now  in- 
quired : 

"May  I  look  into  the  fore-hatch?" 

"Certainly,"  was  Harry's  response,  and  he 
politely  showed  Jones  to  that  quarter  of  the 
boat. 

The  rival  captain's  look  of  disappointment 
had  changed  to  one  of  anger  when  he  returned 
aft. 

"Did  you  find  what  you  were  looking  for?" 
asked  Tom  Sexsmith  mischievously. 


A  STARTLING  ACCUSATION  223 

"No,  but  that  doesn't  alter  the  fact  that  you 
fellows  have  taken  it,"  he  cried  wrathfully. 

Then  turning  to  Harry  he  continued : 

"I  admit  you  have  now  got  the  best  of  us ;  but 
I  didn't  suppose  you  were  so  mean  as  to  take 
the  last  mouthful  out  of  a  fellow's  mouth,  and 
leave  him  nothing  to  get  food  with. ' ' 

"What  do  you  mean?"  asked  Harry,  quietly. 

"You  are  the  last  one  to  ask  such  a  ques- 
tion," Jones  sneeringly  answered,  "when  you 
carried  off  last  night  in  our  absence  our  tent, 
and  every  article  we  possessed. ' ' 

This  startling  accusation  was  too  much  for 
Harry's  comrades,  and  they  sprang  to  their  feet 
with  cries  of  indignation. 

Harry  alone  preserved  a  smiling  and  unruf- 
fled countenance. 


CHAPTER  XXIII 

AN  HONORABLE  PROPOSAL 

HAREY  waited  until  the  indignant  protes- 
tations of  his  comrades  had  subsided; 
then  he  said  to  his  angry  rival  in  half 
serious  and  half  quizzical  tones : 

' '  I  don 't  believe  you  have  had  any  breakfast, 
Reed?" 

"No,  nor  supper  either/'  he  sullenly  ad- 
mitted. 

"No  wonder  you  are  cross ;  I  should  be  under 
the  same  circumstances.  Well,  I  had  breakfast 
at  your  expense  this  morning,  even  if  we  didn  't 
clean  out  your  camp,  and  I  resolved  then  to 
furnish  you  with  whatever  supplies  you  needed. 
So  come  on  over  to  the  island  with  us,  and  first 
satisfy  your  own  hunger;  after  that  we'll  load 
up  the  launch  and  look  up  the  rest  of  your 
crew. ' ' 

There  was  no  mistaking  the  honesty  of  this 
offer,  and,  a  little  ashamed  of  the  anger  he  had 
shown,  perhaps  without  just  cause,  Jones  said 
more  pleasantly  than  he  had  yet  spoken: 

224 


AN  HONORABLE  PROPOSAL       225 

"I  don't  understand  you;  how  did  you  take 
breakfast  at  my  expense,  if  you  didn't  carry 
off  our  goods?" 

Harry's  companions  also  looked  inquiringly 
at  him,  though  they  had  some  inkling  of  his 
meaning.     With  a  smile  he  explained: 

"I  was  compelled  to  spend  last  night  in  an 
Indian  camp  back  of  these  hills,  and  this  morn- 
ing not  only  saw  a  lot  of  your  goods,  but  actu- 
ally made  a  breakfast  upon  some  of  your  provi- 
sions. I  also  discovered  the  two  bear  skins  that 
the  boys  accused  you  and  Howard  of  taking  a 
few  days  ago ;  and  I  have  reason  to  believe  that 
some  other  things  we  have  missed  have  been 
carried  off  by  the  same  thievish  hands.  But 
it's  a  long  story,  and  you  are  hungry;  we'd 
better  cross  over  to  the  tents  before  you  hear 
it.  I  can  readily  prove  to  you,  that  whatever 
you  and  your  crew  have  done  to  us,  we  have  in 
no  way  retaliated  except  to  prevent  you  from 
running  off  with  our  banners.  We  are  more- 
over ready  to  help  you  in  any  way  we  can. ' ' 

Eeed  Jones,  whatever  his  jealousy  over  the 
Institute  boys'  victory  in  the  boat-race  had  led 
him  to  do,  was  not  without  some  good  traits  of 
character,  as  his  protest  against  Jack  Howard's 
striking  Cripple  Ben  a  few  days  before  in  the 
ravine  had  shown ;  and  this  frank,  open-handed 

15 


226  THE  CRUISE  OF  THE  FIREFLY 

offer  of  his  rival  to  help  him  in  his  destitution, 
touched  him. 

Then,  too,  he  and  his  crew  were  hungry,  and, 
if  Harry  spoke  the  truth  about  their  camping 
outfit  being  in  the  hands  of  the  Indians,  he  knew 
he  and  they  would  be  dependent  upon  the  rival 
camp,  not  only  for  food,  but  also  for  the  means 
to  get  back  to  their  homes.  He  was,  therefore, 
not  slow  to  see  the  advantage  of  accepting  Wal- 
lace's  generous  proposal;  so  pointing  towards 
the  shore  he  said : 

' l  Bill  Dunster  and  Paul  Caulkins  are  up  there 
in  the  bushes  waiting  for  me ;  will  you  take  them 
over  to  the  island  now?" 

"Certainly,  and  go  after  the  others  if  you'll 
tell  us  where  they  are,"  Harry  promptly  re- 
plied, looking  around  at  his  own  men  for  a  con- 
firmation of  his  promise. 

They  realized  that  the  special  emergency  for 
which  Harry  had  wished — one  in  which  he 
might  be  able  so  to  befriend  his  rivals  as  to  win 
them  over  to  his  side — had  doubtless  come,  and 
yet  they  were  not  so  ready  as  their  leader  to 
make  use  of  it.  They  remembered  the  insults 
they  had  received  at  their  opponent 'stands, 
especially  the  striking  of  Ben  by  Howard,  and, 
through  Tom  as  spokesman,  they  voiced  their 
own  idea  of  the  matter  in  these  words: 


AN  HONORABLE  PROPOSAL       227 

"When  these  fellows  are  willing  to  give  in 
that  they  have  wronged  us  and  make  full  resti- 
tution, we  think  it  will  be  time  enough  to  help 
them. ' ' 

"I  believe  we  can  help  them,  and  leave  all 
that  to  their  own  sense  of  what  is  honorable 
and  right, ' '  remarked  Harry  magnanimously. 

''We  can  do  that  so  far  as  the  others  are 
concerned,  but  not  with  Howard."  Tom  re- 
plied, slowly  shaking  his  head;  "he  struck  Ben 
down  without  cause,  and  has  had  more  to  do 
with  the  mean  tricks  played  upon  us  than  all 
the  rest  of  the  crew  put  together.  Help  the 
others  if  you  want  to,  but  let  Jack  apologize  to 
Ben  before  he  has  a  morsel,  we  say,  don't  we, 
boys?" 

All  but  the  cripple  gave  a  hearty  "Aye! 
Aye!" 

"Ben  has  more  to  say  about  that  than  the 
rest  of  you,"  Harry  said,  turning  to  the  halt 
boy  with  a  smile.  "We'll  abide  by  his  deci- 
sion." 

"Howard  is  in  need  as  much  as  the  others, 
and  if  he  has  injured  us  more,  we  have  the 
greater  triumph  in  helping  him,"  Cripple  Ben 
nobly  answered. 

"That  settles  it,"  Harry  announced  decid- 
edly, and  the  look  of  affection  he  gave  Ben 


228  THE  CRUISE  OF  THE  FIREFLY 

showed  how  fast  the  hearts  of  those  two  lads, 
so  different  in  physique  and  worldly  position, 
were  becoming  knitted  together. 

"Yes,"  put  in  Tom,  heartily;  "it  does  settle 
it.  The  launch  is  Ben's,  and  the  supplies  are 
yours,  Harry;  and  you  two  are  the  ones  that 
have  suffered  most  by  these  fellows;  the  rest 
of  us  surely  ought  to  show  as  good  a  spirit  as 
you. ' ' 

Jones  had  stood  upon  the  deck  of  the  launch 
a  silent  listener  to  this  conversation.  He  was 
now  man  enough  to  say : 

"Thank  you,  boys,  for  your  decision;"  then 
he  called  his  two  comrades  from  the  bushes. 

With  considerable  reluctance  they  obeyed  the 
call  and  seemed  surprised  at  the  cordiality  with 
which  they  were  received  by  the  Institute  boys. 

"Jack  Howard,  Tim  Secord,  and  George 
Whiting  have  gone  down  the  other  side  of  the 
lake,  looking  for  some  trace  of  you  and  the 
goods  we  thought  you'd  taken,"  explained  Seed 
when  his  two  companions  had  embarked,  and 
the  head  of  the  launch  was  again  turned  towards 
the  island. 

"We'll  land  you  fellows  first,  and  then  keep 
on  to  the  south  shore  for  the  others,"  Harry 
responded. 

"I  don't  know  whether  Jack  will  come  off  to 


AN  HONORABLE  PROPOSAL       229 

your  camp,"  Jones  now  remarked  with  hesita- 
tion. "He's  been  awful  cranky  for  the  last 
week  and  we  could  do  little  with  him.  Perhaps 
I'd  better  keep  on  to  the  other  side  of  the  lake 
with  you. ' ' 

"Very  well,  if  you  think  best,"  said  Wallace, 
"but  we'll  stop  for  you  to  have  breakfast  first. 
They  have  a  longer  tramp  before  them  than 
you  three  did,  and  I  don't  believe  they  will  come 
around  to  the  falls  before  we  get  over  there." 

In  a  few  minutes  the  Fire-Fly  touched  the 
landing  at  the  island,  and  the  two  boys  in  charge 
were  both  delighted  and  surprised:  delighted 
to  see  their  captain  once  more  and  to  find  him 
unharmed ;  surprised  that  three  members  of  the 
rival  camp  had  returned  with  him. 

A  few  words  of  explanation,  however,  put 
them  in  full  possession  of  the  circumstances 
which  brought  Jones  and  his  men  there,  and 
they  cheerfully  bustled  around  to  prepare  a  sub- 
stantial meal  for  the  new-comers. 

As  Jones  was  eating  he  said  to  Harry : 

"I  want  to  tell  you  my  story  now,  before 
Howard  gets  here,  as  there  are  some  things  I 
can  speak  more  freely  about  with  him  away. 
Since  the  night  you  gave  us  such  a  chase  about 
the  lake  we  have  made  our  camp  back  of  a  rocky 
promontory,  two  or  three  miles  up  the  main 


230  THE  CRUISE  OF  THE  FIREFLY 

stream.  We  got  along  comfortably  until  the 
rain  set  in  three  days  ago. 

"Our  tent  leaked  like  a  sieve  and  we  were 
soon  as  uncomfortable  as  we  well  could  be.  We 
had  a  hard  time,  too,  the  next  day  to  find  dry 
material  enough  for  a  decent  fire,  and  when  the 
second  night  came,  we  were  ready  to  sell  out 
at  a  small  price.  The  weather  made  us  all 
cross  also,  I  reckon,  but  Howard  was  especially 
so.  Nothing  seemed  to  suit  him,  and  he  found 
fault  with  us  all  every  chance  he  got. 

' '  When  the  third  morning  came  with  the  rain 
still  pouring,  it  was  more  than  we  could  stand, 
and  we  had  one  of  the  biggest  rows  that  ever 
disgraced  a  camp-fire.  Paul  and  Bill  here  sided 
with  me,  and  Tim  and  George  stuck  by  Jack. 

' '  Soon  after  it  broke  away,  in  the  afternoon, 
however,  I  proposed  to  Paul  and  Bill  that  we 
take  a  row  up  the  stream ;  it  would  warm  us  up, 
and  we  might  catch  some  fish  for  supper.  They 
agreed,  and,  without  asking  the  others  to  join 
us,  we  took  the  yawl  and  started  off. 

' '  Our  action  mifYed  Howard  and  his  followers 
still  further,  and  we'd  no  sooner  gone  than  they 
sauntered  off  down  the  stream  leaving  the  camp 
unguarded. 

"Just  about  dark  the  boys  here  and  I  came 
back  to  the  encampment  in  better  mood  and  with 


AN  HONORABLE  PROPOSAL       231 

a  large  string  of  trout.  What  was  our  amaze- 
ment to  find  that  the  tent  and  all  our  outfit  had 
disappeared. 

"Our  first  thought  was  that  Howard  and  Tim 
and  George  had  moved  the  things  to  some  other 
spot  to  annoy  us,  and  we  foolishly  went  off  to 
look  them  up,  leaving  our  yawl  unguarded. 

"Climbing  over  the  rocky  promontory,  we 
kept  down  the  bank  of  the  stream  for  a  half- 
mile,  where  we  met  our  comrades.  They  were 
astonished  when  we  charged  them  with  remov- 
ing the  camp,  and  forgetting  our  past  differ- 
ences, we  all  hurried  back  to  the  old  camping 
ground  to  find  that  the  yawl  and  its  contents 
had  been  carried  away  in  our  absence,  and  we 
had  nothing  left  but  the  clothes  on  our  backs. 

"As  we  had  seen  nothing  of  the  Indians,  we 
naturally  laid  'the  clean-out'  to  you  fellows,  and 
I  confess  that  as  supperless  and  cold  we  hud- 
dled together  around  the  trunk  of  a  hemlock, 
we  didn't  make  a  very  good  use  of  your  names. 
When  morning  came,  however,  we  were  in  a 
condition  to  compromise  with  you  upon  almost 
any  terms,  and  believing  that  you  could  not 
have  reached  your  own  camp  that  night  with 
your  booty,  we  took  an  early  start  to  look  you 
up. 

"After  Bill,  Paul  and  I  had  gone  part  way 


232  THE  CRUISE  OF  THE  FIREFLY 

down  this  side  of  the  lake,  we  saw  the  launch 
lying  off  the  cove,  and  concluded  she  was  wait- 
ing for  you  fellows  to  bring  the  goods  on  board, 
so  we  hastened  down  there,  but  you  had  already 
started  for  the  island  when  we  arrived,  and 
leaving  the  other  boys  hidden,  I  came  out  and 
hailed  you." 

Harry  now  told  of  his  own  experiences  the 
night  before,  and  held  his  little  audience  spell- 
bound as  he  gave  the  account  of  his  hand-to- 
hand  struggle  with  the  wolves  and  his  timely 
rescue  by  the  young  Indian.  His  encounter 
with  the  old  Indian  in  the  lodge  was  received 
with  equal  interest  by  his  auditors,  and  the  de- 
tailed list  he  gave  of  the  articles  the  savages 
had  in  their  possession  left  no  doubt  in  the 
minds  of  the  High  School  boys  but  that  their 
camping  paraphernalia  had  passed  into  red- 
skins '  hands. 

"I  suppose  there  is  no  hope  then  of  recover- 
ing the  stuff, ' '  Jones  remarked  regretfully  when 
Harry  was  done. 

"I  wanted  to  use  the  young  Indian  who  res- 
cued me  as  a  go-between  for  that  purpose," 
explained  Wallace.  "He  seemed  made  of  dif- 
ferent material  than  the  others,  and  certainly 
had  no  hand  in  the  robbery.  But  I  couldn't 
persuade  him  to  come  to  the  camp." 


AN  HONORABLE  PROPOSAL  233 

"There  are  Howard  and  his  men  now,"  Kob 
Hunt  exclaimed,  pointing  off  toward  the  south 
shore  of  the  lake. 

Three  lads  could  be  seen  standing  on  the 
beach,  and  Harry  and  Ben,  accompanied  by 
Reed,  entered  the  launch,  and  ran  over  where 
they  were. 

On  the  approach  of  the  yacht,  the  boys  drew 
back  into  the  forest,  but  Jones,  as  soon  as  the 
boat  touched  the  shore,  leaped  out  and  followed 
them. 

He  was  gone  some  minutes,  but  returned  with 
his  friends.  Secord  and  Whiting  readily  shook 
hands  with  Harry  and  Ben,  but  Howard  merely 
nodded,  and  grunted  out  a  surly  "good  morn- 
ing. ' ' 

With  no  notice  of  his  discourtesy,  Harry  now 
invited  them  all  to  visit  the  island,  an  invitation 
they  promptly  accepted.  The  hungry  trio  were 
furnished  with  breakfast  on  their  arrival  at  the 
tents.     Then  Harry  said: 

"I  have  talked  the  matter  over  with  my  own 
crew,  and  we  are  ready  to  give  you  fellows  the 
choice  of  two  things:  You  may  remain  here 
with  us  as  our  guests;  or  we  will  furnish  you. 
with  our  smaller  tent,  two  guns,  and  enough  of 
our  supplies  to  make  you  comfortable,  and  you 
may  camp  where  you  please. ' ' 


234  THE  CRUISE  OF  THE  FIREFLY 

" Thank  you/'  Jones  answered  gratefully, 
"I'll  talk  it  over  with  the  boys." 

He  called  his  crew  and  they  walked  off  toward 
the  west  end  of  the  island.  A  half  hour  later 
he  returned  to  the  tent  alone,  and  said: 

"The  boys  sent  me  back  to  ask  you  if  you 
would  be  willing  to  guide  us  to  the  Indian  camp 
that  we  may  see  if  we  can  recover  any  of  our 
own  property,  before  we  decide  to  accept  either 
of  your  offers  ? ' ' 

"I  will  give  you  an  answer  in  five  minutes," 
Harry  replied;  and,  as  Jones  withdrew,  he 
turned  to  consult  with  his  men.  In  less  time 
than  he  had  promised,  the  talk  was  over,  and  he 
went  down  where  Eeed  and  his  comrades  were : 

"To  recover  your  property,"  he  said,  "will 
require  in  my  judgment  two  parties :  one  to  go 
up  the  trail  and  over  the  mountain  to  the  Indian 
encampment;  the  other  to  go  up  the  stream  in 
the  launch  to  search  for  the  boats.  We  will, 
however,  join  in  this  movement  on  one  condi- 
tion— that  you  return  to  us  our  banners." 


CHAPTER  XXIV 

ON  THE  TRAIL 

AS  THOUGH  conscious  that  the  terms  he 
proposed  brought  the  estrangement 
which  had  so  long  existed  between  the 
two  crews  to  a  crisis — a  crisis  wherein  it  must 
either  be  overcome  or  fanned  into  a  fuller  flame 
— Harry  now  drew  himself  up  to  his  full  height, 
and  looked  squarely  into  the  face  of  the  rival 
captain.  His  whole  manner  and  attitude  were 
expressive  with  an  unmistakable  appeal  to  his 
opponent  to  act  honorably  and  fairly. 

Nor  was  the  mute  appeal  without  its  influ- 
ence upon  Jones.  The  manhood  in  him  was 
aroused,  and  extending  his  hand  to  the  lad  he 
had  so  persistently  tried  to  injure,  he  said : 

"I  intend  to  do  that  any  way.  I  promise  you 
that  on  our  return  from  this  trip,  whatever  its 
issue,  the  flags  shall  be  restored  to  you.  Shall 
it  not  be  so,  boys?" 

He  turned  toward  his  crew  with  both  earnest- 
ness and  determination  plainly  visible  in  his 
countenance. 

235 


236  THE  CRUISE  OF  THE  FIREFLY 

"This  miserable  business  we  have  engaged 
in  is  now  to  end  so  far  as  I'm  concerned;  who 
of  you  stand  with  me?" 

It  may  be  he  infused  some  of  his  own  noble 
resolve  into  his  comrades,  or  possibly  they 
dreaded  the  deplorable  condition  into  which 
their  refusal  to  follow  their  leader  would  neces- 
sarily bring  them ;  whichever  motive  it  was  that 
influenced  them  they  now  with  a  single  excep- 
tion responded:     "I,"  "I,"  "L" 

That  exception  was  Jack  Howard,  and, 
though  both  Eeed  and  Harry  noticed  his  si- 
lence, neither  remembered  that  he  alone  knew 
where  the  banners  had  been  concealed,  and  that 
the  carrying  out  of  the  purpose,  so  heartily 
agreed  to  by  the  others,  depended  upon  his  co- 
operation. 

Possibly  both  lads  thought  now  that  though 
Howard  stood  alone  in  his  opposition  to  the 
project,  he  could  not  long  hold  out  against  the 
unanimous  wish  of  his  comrades,  and  they  de- 
cided for  the  time  to  humor  him  in  his  obstinacy. 
Taking  no  notice,  therefore,  of  his  declination 
to  answer,  they  hastened  back  to  the  tents  to 
make  ready  for  their  expedition. 

Cripple  Ben  was  given  the  command  of  the 
launch,  with  Tom  Sexsmith,  Fred  Williams  and 
Jack  Howard  as  his  crew;  while  Eob  Hunt, 


ON  THE  TRAIL  237 

much  to  bis  own  disgust,  was  assigned  to  the 
duty  of  guarding  the  camp.  This  left  eight  of 
the  lads,  including  Harry  and  Reed,  for  the 
overland  force. 

One  gun  was  deemed  sufficient  for  the  arma- 
ment of  the  yacht,  and  one  for  the  protection  of 
the  tents.  Four  guns  and  one  rifle,  constituted, 
therefore,  the  equipment  of  Harry  and  his  fol- 
lowers. 

"What  a  pity,  Wallace,  you  gave  your  own 
rifle  to  that  young  Indian,' '  remarked  Tom,  as 
he  witnessed  this  division  of  the  firearms  among 
the  boys.     "Now  it  may  be  used  against  you." 

"I  hardly  fear  that,"  his  leader  replied,  with 
a  light  laugh.  "While  these  Indians  will  steal 
anything  they  can  lay  their  hands  on,  and  might 
make  away  with  a  single  person  who  had  of- 
fended them,  they  would  hardly  interfere  with 
a  party  as  large  as  ours.  It  would  involve  too 
great  a  risk,  and  be  likely  to  attract  the  atten- 
tion of  the  government,  of  which  they  have  a 
wholesome  dread.  The  only  thing  for  us  to  do 
is  to  keep  a  bold  front,  and  but  for  that,  I  should 
take  no  arms  along  at  all." 

He  did  not  add  that  he  was  relying  upon  the 
evident  friendship  of  Oneco  more  than  any  other 
thing,  not  only  to  prevent  hostilities  between 
themselves  and  the  Indians,  but  to  secure  the 


238  THE  CRUISE  OF  THE  FIREFLY 

restoration  of  the  stolen  property.  Such,  how- 
ever, was  the  case. 

At  last  the  arrangements  were  completed,  and 
the  twelve  boys  embarked  npon  the  Fire-Fly, 
which  steamed  swiftly  up  to  the  cove,  whence 
the  trail  over  the  mountains  began.  Leaving 
Harry  and  his  force  there,  she  then  ran  toward 
the  west  end  of  the  lake,  where  she  was  to  enter 
the  main  inlet,  and  passing  up  that  several 
miles,  wait  for  the  land  party  to  rejoin  her. 

Meantime,  Wallace  and  his  men  pushed  stead- 
ily through  the  forest  to  the  little  plain,  where 
the  scorched  hemlock  bore  witness  of  his  stir- 
ring adventure  of  the  night  before. 

"Oneco  has  been  here,"  he  exclaimed,  as  his 
party  reached  the  rocky  slope  at  whose  base  the 
hand  struggle  with  the  wolves  had  taken  place. 
"He  has  stripped  off  those  pelts,  as  you  see." 

His  comrades  had  noticed  the  half  dozen  nude 
carcasses  of  the  wolves  as  quickly  as  he,  and 
Jones  replied: 

"That  must  have  been  a  big  job,  and  he  can't 
be  far  in  advance  of  us  now." 

"He'd  make  light  of  a  task  that  would  have 
taken  us  hours  to  finish, ' '  Harry  replied ;  ' '  and 
is  probably  now  at  the  lodges  over  in  the  oppo- 
site valley.     Come  on." 

He  led  the  way  up  the  steep  hill- side  to  its 


ON  THE  TRAIL  239 

top,  on  reaching  which,  an  exclamation  of  sur- 
prise escaped  him. 

His  comrades  gathered  about  him,  and  looked 
down  into  the  valley,  so  near  as  to  seem  almost 
at  their  feet. 

"The  Indian  encampment  was  certainly  right 
there  this  morning,"  he  said,  pointing  toward 
an  open  spot  plainly  visible  from  their  point  of 
observation;  "but  where  is  it  now?" 

Well  might  he  ask  the  question,  for  not  a 
lodge  was  to  be  seen!  The  open  place  where 
they  had  stood  a  few  hours  before  was  deserted. 
No  one  would  have  "thought  it  possible  that  the 
valley  had  recently  been  inhabited  even  by  a 
tribe  of  savages. 

"We'll  go  there,  anyway,"  said  Harry,  and 
at  a  tremendous  pace  he  started  down  the  pre- 
cipitous slope. 

In  ten  minutes  he  and  his  party  were  upon 
the  site  of  the  encampment.  There  were 
enough  traces  remaining  to  convince  every  lad 
of  that,  yet  so  skilfully  had  the  obliteration  been 
done,  that  a  careful  examination  of  the  ground 
was  necessary  before  they  were  found. 

"This  explains  not  only  their  haste  in  getting 
rid  of  you  this  morning,  Harry,  but  the  reason 
that  young  Indian  left  us  so  abruptly.  They 
intended  to  leave  for  parts  unknown  before  you 


240  THE  CRUISE  OF  THE  FIREFLY 

could  get  aid  and  return  here/'  remarked  Ed 
Willis,  after  the  clearing  had  been  fully  exam- 
ined. 

"And  there's  no  likelihood  of  our  finding 
them  either,"  said  Reed  Jones  regretfully. 
"We  shall  have  to  accept  one  of  your  offers 
afcer  all,  Harry." 

"We  shall  all  the  more  gladly  grant  it  now 
that  we  know  you  are  entirely  dependent  upon 
it, ' '  Harry  answered  with  a  smile ; ' i  but  we  may 
as  well  work  our  way  down  to  the  main  stream 
and  join  the  launch.  It  will  do  no  harm  to  keep 
on  up  to  the  other  lake  in  her;  and  we  may 
possibly  overhaul  the  Indians  if  they  have  gone 
that  way,  for  they  cannot  have  had  a  great  deal 
the  start  of  us. ' ' 

A  tiny  brook  ran  from  the  clearing  toward 
the  main  stream,  and  Harry  and  his  companions 
decided  to  follow  this.  It  led  them  a  circuitous 
route,  and  over  rough  ground,  but  brought  them 
eventually  out  upon  the  creek  they  sought,  sev- 
eral miles  above  the  lower  lake. 

The  Fire-Fly  was  nowhere  in  sight,  and  a  lad 
was  sent  each  way  to  look  for  her.  The  one 
who  had  gone  up  the  stream  soon  returned,  re- 
porting that  the  launch  was  just  around  a  bend 
a  half  mile  away.  The  other  youth  was  there- 
fore called  in,  and  then  the  whole  party  has- 


ON  THE  TRAIL  24l 

tened  up  the  bank  to  overtake  the  waiting  boat. 

Once  on  board  of  her  they  found  her  crew 
had  as  yet  seen  no  traces  of  the  Indians,  and 
the  ascent  of  the  stream  was  resumed.  Possi- 
bly the  craft  had  made  two  miles  against  the 
rapid  current,  when,  on  rounding  a  sharp  bend, 
the  lookout  forward  cried : 

' 'There's  a  canoe  coming  down  toward  us 
with  one  Indian  in  it,  and  he  has  another  canoe 
or  some  kind  of  a  boat  in  tow." 

Harry  and  Reed  went  forward  together. 

"It's  Oneco,"  Harry  announced  a  moment 
after,  "and  he  has  a  yawl  behind  him." 

Though  the  young  Indian  saw  the  launch,  he 
still  came  straight  on  down  the  stream.  Evi- 
dently he  expected,  and  was  seeking  an  inter- 
view with  her. 

"Hello,  Oneco,"  Wallace  called  when  the  lad 
was  within  a  rod  or  two  of  them,  "hold  up  and 
we'll  run  alongside  of  you." 

The  boy  stopped  paddling,  and,  as  the 
steamer  grated  the  side  of  his  canoe,  grasped 
her  railing  and  leaped  lightly  on  board. 

He  had  taken  care  to  bring  his  bow-line  with 
him,  and  at  once  tied  it  to  the  larger  craft,  thus 
securing  his  own  boats  from  drifting  down  the 
stream. 


16 


242  THE  CRUISE  OF  THE  FIREFLY 

Then  pointing  to  the  yawl  he  had  in  tow,  he 
said  to  Harry: 

' '  That  yours ;  bear  skins  yours ;  rod  yours ; 
fish  yours ;  rne  bring  'em  back. ' ' 

Sure  enough,  in  the  bottom  of  the  yawl  were 
the  two  missing  bear  skins,  Ben's  rod,  and  a 
string  of  freshly  caught  fish  equal  in  size  to 
that  the  halt  boy  had  lost. 

"Yes,  they  are  ours,"  Harry  answered,  "and 
we  thank  you  for  returning  them." 

' i  Me  took  'em ;  not  know  they  yours ;  thought 
they  belonged  to  him,"  and  he  moved  his  hand 
toward  Jack  Howard. 

"The  camp  he  belonged  to  has  been  robbed," 
Harry  said  sternly;  "and  I  saw  their  things  in 
your  people's  hands.  Where  has  their  encamp- 
ment gone?  We  have  been  over  there  to  see  if 
they  wouldn  't  return  the  property. ' ' 

For  reply  the  young  savage  strode  up  to  How- 
ard, and  though  much  slighter  and  somewhat 
younger  than  he,  drew  himself  up  fearlessly  be- 
fore him.  The  movement  took  them  all  by  sur- 
prise for  none  of  them  had  any  idea  that  the 
two  had  already  met  each  other. 

"See  me  before?"  he  asked,  and  there  was  a 
look  in  his  eyes  before  which  Jack  quailed. 

"Yes,"  he  stammered. 

"Me  caught  you  then,  me  serve  you  so,"  the 


ON  THE  TRAIL  243 

lad  cried,  and  to  the  astonishment  of  the  other 
youths,  and  before  any  of  them  could  prevent 
it  even  if  they  would  have  had  they  known  the 
circumstances,  he  picked  Howard  up  as  though 
he  were  but  a  baby,  and  tossed  him  over  the 
rail  into  the  stream. 


CHAPTER  XXV 

A  MIDNIGHT  DESERTION 

WHEN  the  lads  recovered  from  the  aston- 
ishment caused  by  the  young  Indian's 
hasty  act,  their  first  thought  was  to 
secure  and  chastise  the  culprit.  But  as  they 
sprang  forward  to  do  so,  Cripple  Ben  swung 
himself  in  front  of  the  savage,  and,  waving 
them  back  with  one  of  his  crutches,  cried  out  in 
clear  and  ringing  tones: 

"Let  him  have  fair  play,  boys !  He  wouldn't 
have  done  that  without  some  reason  for  it. 
Nor  has  Howard  suffered  anything  worse  than 
a  ducMng,  and  he  got  used  to  that  long  ago. 
Give  the  Indian  a  chance  to  explain  himself." 

"All  right,"  was  the  response,  and  while  Tim 
Secord  helped  Jack  from  the  yawl,  into  which 
he  had  already  climbed,  to  the  deck  of  the 
launch,  and  helped  him  in  wringing  out  his  wet 
clothing,  the  others  turned  to  Oneco  for  an 
explanation  of  his  singular  action. 

The  redskin  stood  in  a  defiant  attitude  by  the 
yacht's   rail,  and,   even   though  the  lads  now 

244 


A  MIDNIGHT  DESERTION  245 

waited  for  him  to  speak,  uttered  no  word  in  his 
own  defense,  until  Harry  laid  a  band  on  his 
arm,  saying: 

"Tell  us,  Oneco,  what  he  has  done  to  you;  we 
will  not  uphold  him  in  his  misdeeds." 

The  stolid  face  softened,  a  smile  came  to  the 
stern  lips,  and  in  broken  English  the  boy  gave 
the  following  facts : 

On  the  morning  after  Howard  had  been 
landed  upon  the  northern  shore  of  the  lake  with 
the  banners,  he  and  a  younger  brother  were 
fishing  in  the  stream,  which  ran  down  through 
the  ravine  at  that  point.  Unaware  of  the 
presence  of  any  one  else  in  the  gorge,  they  gave 
their  whole  attention  to  their  sport. 

The  younger  lad  was  upon  the  left  bank  of 
the  stream,  and  some  rods  above  his  brother, 
who  was  on  the  opposite  side.  Jack  Howard, 
in  passing  down  the  ravine,  after  hiding  the 
banners,  to  join  his  companions  at  the  mouth  of 
the  main  stream,  caught  sight  of  the  little  red- 
skin intent  upon  his  self-imposed  and  exciting 
task;  and,  seeing  no  one  else  around,  crept  up 
behind  him,  and  with  a  sudden  blow  sent  him 
headlong  into  the  brook. 

His  cries  speedily  brought  Oneco  to  the  scene, 
and  having  rescued  the  boy  and  learned  from 
him  that  he  had  been  pushed  into  the  water,  he 


246  THE  CRUISE  OF  THE  FIREFLY 

looked  quickly  around  for  the  miscreant.  Dis- 
covering Howard  running  off  through  the 
forest,  he  gave  chase  after  him. 

Unfortunately  for  himself,  his  delay  in  cross- 
ing the  brook  gave  the  culprit  so  long  a  start 
that  he  could  not  overtake  him,  but  he  got  near 
enough  to  see  the  fleeing  lad's  features,  and  was 
sure  to  recognize  him  on  meeting  him  again. 

The  telling  of  the  audacious  prank  in  the  In- 
dian encampment  a  few  hours  later,  aroused  a 
determination  to  retaliate  upon  the  offender, 
and  supposing  there  was  but  one  camping  party 
in  the  neighborhood,  and  that  the  one  to  which 
Howard  belonged,  the  savages  kept  watch 
for  a  chance  to  annoy  them  and  carry  off  the 
property  of  the  white  intruders. 

Opportunities  soon  came ;  the  bear  skins  were 
removed  from  the  cave  in  which  they  had  been 
stored ;  the  boat  left  at  the  ravine  point  was  run 
off;  and  an  attempt  was  made  to  steal  the 
launch. 

Oneco  had  accompanied  his  father  to  the 
south  shore  of  the  lake  that  night,  and  there 
waited  for  him  to  swim  over  to  the  island  and 
tow  off  the  yacht.  When  their  plan  was  frus- 
trated by  the  firing  of  the  rockets,  they  were 
forced  to  make  a  long  detour  around  the  west 


A  MIDNIGHT  DESERTION  247 

side  and  up  the  main  stream  to  reach  their  en- 
campment. 

In  ascending  the  brook,  just  as  morning  was 
breaking,  they  came  upon  the  camp  of  the  High 
School  boys,  and  a  little  watching  convinced 
them  that  this  was  the  one  to  which  Howard 
belonged  and  not  that  which  they  had  been 
plundering.  From  that  hour  the  newly  dis- 
covered tent  was  under  the  constant  surveil- 
lance of  some  of  the  Indians  until  the  chance 
came  to  rob  it.  Oneco  belonged  to  the  party 
that  had  been  relieved  by  the  one  in  charge  of 
his  father  only  a  few  hours  before  the  robbery, 
and  this  accounted  for  his  presence  at  the 
lodges,  and  his  opportune  rescue  of  Harry  the 
same  night. 

Wallace's  gift  of  the  rifle  as  a  token  of  his 
appreciation  of  the  noble  deed  won  the  young 
savage  over  to  the  side  of  the  white  strangers, 
and  he  hastened  back  up  the  trail  that  morning 
with  the  already  formed  purpose  of  returning 
all  the  property  his  people  had  stolen  from  the 
island  camp. 

When  Oneco 's  story  was  finished  Eeed  Jones 
turned  to  Howard,  who,  having  put  on  his 
wrung  out  clothing,  was  sitting  on  the  sunny 
side  of  the  launch  for  it  to  dry,  and  said 
angrily : 


248  THE  CRUISE  OF  THE  FIREFLY 

"So  it's  to  some  more  of  your  tomfoolery 
that  we  owe  the  loss  of  our  traps  I ' ' 

"I  don't  see  as  I've  done  much  worse  than 
you  have,"  retorted  Howard;  "any  way  I 
haven't  grown  chicken  hearted  over  a  few  mis- 
haps, and  caved  in  like  you." 

The  dispute  between  the  lads  would  have 
waxed  hot,  for  both  had  lost  control  of  their 
tempers,  had  not  Harry  interposed. 

"It  will  do  you  no  good  to  accuse  each  other," 
he  said;  "your  things  are  gone,  whosesoever 
the  blame  is,  and  our  business  now  is  not  to 
quarrel  but  to  see  if  we  cannot  get  them  back. ' ' 

He  now  asked  Oneco  to  go  with  Keed  and 
himself  into  the  cabin  where  they  could  -be 
alone.  They  talked  long  and  earnestly  with 
him  about  the  other  stolen  property.  He 
pointed  out  to  the  young  Indian  that  Jones  was 
not  responsible  for  Howard's  actions,  and  that 
the  loss  of  the  yawl  and  guns  fell  not  upon  the 
offender,  but  his  innocent  comrades.  He  sug- 
gested also  that  if  Oneco  would  persuade  his 
people  to  return  the  articles  he  had  named, 
they  might  keep  the  rest  of  the  camping  outfit 
unquestioned,  as  he  would  supply  the  destitute 
lads  with  all  else  they  needed  until  they  re- 
turned down  the  river.  But  he  found  the  boy 
obstinately   opposed  to   giving  back   a   single 


A  MIDNIGHT  DESERTION  249 

thing.  He  seemed  to  think  that  Howard's  con- 
nection with  that  camp  justified  his  people  in 
plundering  it  and  stoically  said: 

"Me  do  no  more 'for  you  now." 

He  told  Harry  furthermore  that  the  launch 
was  fast  approaching  rapids  which  she  could 
not  ascend,  and  that  the  upper  lake  was  still 
many  miles  beyond  them.  To  go  there  would 
not  help  him  at  all  to  secure  an  interview  with 
his  people,  for  they  were  not  in  that  locality, 
but  had  gone  where  it  was  impossible  to  follow 
them. 

A  sudden  call  from  the  deck  of  the  yacht  that 
rapids  were  in  sight  confirmed  the  Indian's 
first  statement;  and,  as  there  was  no  reason  to 
doubt  his  others,  the  farther  ascent  of  the 
stream,  at  Jones'  own  suggestion,  was  aban- 
doned. 

Oneco  seemed  pleased  at  the  confidence  shown 
in  his  word,  and  accompanied  them  back  to  the 
mouth  of  the  creek.  Then  with  the  somewhat 
indefinite  promise,  "You  see  me  soon,"  he 
entered  his  canoe,  and  paddled  rapidly  back  up 
the  watercourse. 

It  was  late  when  the  launch  reached  the 
island,  and  Harry  told  Eeed  that  the  offers  of 
the  morning  were  still  open  to  him  and  his 
crew,  and  if  he  would  make  known  his  choice  of 


250  THE  CRUISE  OF  THE  FIREFLY 

them,  they  would  at  once  carry  the  chosen  one 
into  effect. 

Jones  replied  that  for  himself,  he  preferred 
to  stay  where  he  was.  One  camp,  and  that  on 
the  island,  was  safer,  pleasanter,  and  more 
readily  cared  for  than  two,  with  one  of  those 
upon  the  main  shore;  but  he  would  follow  the 
wishes  of  his  companions. 

When  they  were  consulted,  not  even  Howard, 
who  since  his  unceremonious  bath  at  the  hands 
of  Oneco,  had  kept  aloof  from  his  own  camp- 
mates  with  the  exception  of  Tim  Secord,  made 
any  objection  to  staying  on  the  islet.  So  this 
plan  was  adopted. 

The  smaller  tent  was  cleared  of  its  goods, 
and  fitted  as  a  sleeping  apartment  for  the  new- 
comers; the  goods  removed  from  it  were  then 
packed  in  the  larger  tent  in  a  way  that  per- 
mitted it  still  to  be  used  by  its  regular  in- 
habitants, though  it  must  be  confessed  they 
were  in  somewhat  contracted  quarters. 

These  arrangements  were  completed  by  sun- 
set, and  both  crews  amicably  sat  about  one 
camp-fire  and  took  supper  together.  After  the 
meal  was  finished,  Eeed  began  to  talk  freely 
with  Harry  about  the  return  of  the  banners, 
which  he  promised  should  take  place  early  the 
following  day. 


A  MIDNIGHT  DESERTION  251 

During  the  conversation  it  was  noticed  that 
Howard  arose,  and  followed  by  Secord,  saun- 
tered off  toward  the  lower  end  of  the  island; 
but,  as  they  soon  returned,  apparently  in  the 
best  of  humor,  nothing  more  was  thought  of  the 
circumstance.  The  hour  for  retiring  came,  and 
as  Harry  could  now  see  no  good  reason  for 
keeping  a  night-watch,  the  custom,  for  the  first 
time  in  several  weeks,  was  abandoned. 

At  midnight,  any  one  looking  into  either  of 
the  tents,  would  have  said  all  the  occupants 
were  sunk  in  deep  slumber;  had  he  continued 
his  watch  a  half  hour  longer,  however,  he  would 
have  noticed  that  one  of  the  boys  in  the  smaller 
tent  arose,  and  stepping  quietly  over  his  com- 
rades, left  the  enclosure.  Two  minutes  later  a 
second  did  the  same. 

The  two  met  outside,  and  whispered  together 
for  a  few  seconds;  then  the  one  who  had  first 
come  out,  stepped  cautiously  along  to  the  larger 
tent  and  looked  in.  A  glance  seemed  to  satisfy 
him,  for  he  immediately  entered.  He  was  gone 
several  minutes,  and  when  he  came  out,  carried 
a  rifle  and  a  shot  gun  over  one  arm,  while  over 
the  other  he  had  two  belts  filled  with  cartridges, 
and  two  game  bags  stuffed  with  provisions. 

He  was  immediately  joined  by  the  other  lad, 
who  had  awaited  his  coming,  and  with  whom  he 


252  THE  CRUISE  OF  THE  FIREFLY 

divided  his  burden.  Then  the  couple  hastened 
down  to  the  little  landing  where  the  launch  and 
yawl  were  moored  side  by  side. 

Laying  their  weapons  and  bags  in  the  yawl, 
the  boys  untied  it,  and  pushed  it  gently  off  into 
the  water.  Leaping  in,  they  noiselessly  rowed 
out  upon  the  lake.  When  clear  of  the  island, 
beyond  any  chance  of  awakening  their  sleeping 
comrades,  they  settled  down  to  hard  work,  and 
the  light  craft  sped  rapidly  toward  the  north- 
ern shore. 

The  new  moon  came  out  just  then  from  be- 
hind the  flying  scud  that  had  momentarily  hid 
her  face,  and  her  faint  light  fell  directly  across 
the  heads  and  shoulders  of  the  rowers.  It  was 
enough  to  show  that  one  was  Jack  Howard,  the 
other  Tim  Secord,  and  their  whole  action 
showed  that  they  were,  for  some  cause  well 
understood  by  themselves,  deserting  their  com- 
panions. 

When  it  is  recalled  that  Howard  still  kept  the 
secret  of  the  missing  banners'  hiding  place  in 
his  own  bosom,  it  can  be  readily  guessed  that 
this  midnight  desertion  meant  the  thwarting  of 
Jones'  promise  to  restore  them  to  their  rightful 
owners. 


CHAPTEE  XXVI 

A  HARD  NUT  TO  CRACK 

IT  WAS  not  until  morning  that  the  other 
members  of  the  united  camps  became 
aware  of  Jack's  and  Tim's  desertion;  it 
was  at  a  comparatively  late  hour  in  the  morning 
too,  for  not  until  the  sun  was  high  above  the  tree 
tops,  and  its  beams  dancing  across  the  rippling 
surface  of  the  lake,  did  any  of  the  tired  lads 
stir. 

Reed  Jones  was  the  first  to  awake,  and  sitting 
up,  he  glanced  down  at  his  sleeping  companions. 
He  had  no  difficult  task  to  ascertain  that  there 
were  only  three  other  lads  in  the  tent  besides 
himself,  and  that  the  two  who  had  left  were 
those  that  were  least  in  sympathy  with  the 
reconciliation  already  effected  between  the  rival 
crews.  With  some  foreboding,  therefore,  of 
the  very  occurrence  which  had  taken  place,  he 
sprang  to  his  feet  and  rushed  outdoors. 

Opposite  to  him,  and  sufficiently  near  to  come 
directly  under  the  range  of  his  hurried  glance, 

253 


254  THE  CRUISE  OF  THE  FIREFLY 

was  the  little  landing  of  the  island,  and  he  at 
once  noted  an  important  factor  in  his  self-im- 
posed investigation — namely,  the  yawl  was 
gone. 

Hastening  along  to  the  door  of  the  larger 
tent,  he  excitedly  called  out: 

'  *  Harry,  quick,  come  out  here ! ' ' 

The  next  instant,  not  only  Wallace,  but  all 
his  comrades  rushed  through  the  opening,  their 
half-dressed  appearance  showing  that  they  had 
just  aroused  from  their  sleep,  while  their  star- 
tled looks  revealed  that  they  suspected  from 
Jones'  call  that  something  unexpected  had 
happened. 

"What's  the  matter,  Reed?"  Harry  asked, 
glancing  quickly  about  the  encampment. 

"See  if  any  of  your  things  are  gone — guns, 
ammunition  or  provisions,"  was  the  quick 
response. 

With  exclamations  of  surprise  the  awakened 
boys  re-entered  their  tent,  followed  by  Reed, 
and  began  to  overhaul  their  stores.  A  brief 
examination  showed  that  two  of  the  guns,  their 
cartridge  belts,  and  a  small  quantity  of  eatables 
were  missing. 

"That  settles  it,"  Jones  added;  "Howard 
and  Secord  have  run  away." 

He  then  told  of  his  own  awaking,  and  the 


A  HARD  NUT  TO  CRACK  255 

facts  he  had  discovered,  which,  together  with 
the  missing  articles,  confirmed  beyond  all  doubt 
his  first  suspicions  that  the  absent  lads  had  pur- 
posely deserted  the  camp. 

"Well,  joy  go  with  them,"  remarked  Tom 
Sexsmith,  with  a  characteristic  shrug  of  his 
broad  shoulders;  "I  don't  envy  them  their  trip 
down  to  the  river,  if  there's  where  they  have 
gone;  or  their  camp  out  alone,  if  that's  what 
they  are  going  to  do." 

"But  they  needn't  have  gone  off  like  sneak 
thieves,"  put  in  Harry,  indignantly.  "We 
would  have  allowed  them  to  go  without  opposi- 
tion and  furnished  them  with  all  needful  sup- 
plies, too,  had  they  only  made  their  wishes 
known." 

"But  don't  you  see,"  interrupted  Jones, 
quickly,  "they  had  a  reason  for  leaving  as  they 
did,  or  at  least  Howard  had,  for  he  is  the  only 
one  who  knows  where  your  banners  are  hid,  and 
expects  by  his  going  to  thwart  my  purpose  of 
giving  them  back  to  you." 

This  announcement  gave  the  listeners  a  flood 
of  light  respecting  Howard  and  Secord's  flight, 
but  that  light  blighted  their  most  cherished 
hope,  and  they  for  a  time  were  dumb  with 
chagrin  and  disappointment. 

"Then    he    never    told    you    where    he    put 


256  THE  CRUISE  OF  THE  FIREFLY 

them?"  Harry  at  last  recovered  himself  suffi- 
ciently to  ask. 

"No,  you  fellows  prevented  it,"  Eeed  re- 
sponded. "Howard  and  I  were  going  up  the 
ravine  after  them  that  time  we  met  Tom  and 
his  companions.  You  remember  how  the  meet- 
ing ended,  and  Jack  was  so  mad  over  my  siding 
with  Ben  that  I  couldn't  persuade  him  to  go  up 
there  again  with  me.  I  should  have  insisted 
upon  his  telling  where  they  were,  long  before 
this,  had  I  any  idea  of  his  running  away. ' ' 

' '  There  would  have  been  no  cause  for  his  go- 
ing had  he  told  you  that, ' '  Cripple  Ben  now  sug- 
gested with  a  smile;  "and  this  desertion  was 
doubtless  planned  last  night  when  the  two  run- 
aways walked  off  together  towards  the  upper 
end  of  the  island.  Harry  and  you  were,  at  that 
time,  laying  your  plans  about  going  for  the  flags 
to-day,  and  I  recollect  you  said  they  were  in  a 
cave  near  a  big  beech  tree.  Can't  you  trace 
them  out  from  that  clue?" 

"I  don't  know,"  Jones  replied,  rather  doubt- 
fully it  must  be  confessed;  "I  have  no  idea  how 
far  up  the  ravine  Jack  went,  nor  upon  which 
side  of  the  stream  the  cavern  is." 

"Tell  us  just  all  you  do  know  about  it, 
please, ' '  Harry  now  said. 

"Well,  it  was  awful  dark,  as  you  know,  when 


A  HARD  NUT  TO  CRACK  257 

Howard  landed  upon  the  point,"  Jones  con- 
tinued, "and  he  had  hard  work  to  find  his  way. 
By  a  lucky  chance  he  struck  the  bank  of  the 
gorge  at  a  point  where  he  could  easily  descend 
into  it,  and  guided  by  the  sound  of  the  running 
water  he  kept  up  the  passage  until  he  felt  sure 
you  were  no  longer  following  him. 

"When  morning  came  he  was  near  the  moun- 
tain spur  where  the  ravine  divides,  and  fol- 
lowed the  east  division  until  he  found  the  cave, 
the  entrance  to  which  was  marked  by  a  large 
beech  tree.     Perhaps  we  could  find  it." 

"I  don't  see  why  we  can't,"  Harry  answered 
with  the  decisiveness  characteristic  of  him  when 
he  had  formed  a  plan  of  action.  "Howard  was 
on  the  east  side  of  the  stream  when  he  landed, 
and  naturally  kept  up  that  bank  all  the  way; 
this  led  him  into  the  east  gorge  and  accounts  for 
his  taking  that  instead  of  the  west  one.  Some- 
where, then,  on  the  right  side  of  that  passage 
we  may  find  the  cave,  and  get  the  banners." 

"If  Howard  has  not  already  removed  them," 
suggested  Ben  significantly.  "The  more  I 
think  the  matter  over,  the  more  I  am  of  the 
opinion  that  Jack  believed  Jones  knew  enough 
about  the  hiding  place  of  the  flags  to  find  it,  and 
his  desertion  was  to  carry  them  off.  Even  if 
he  and  Tim  did  not  leave  camp  before  midnight, 


258  THE  CRUISE  OF  THE  FIREFLY 

tliey  have  had  seven  hours  the  start  of  us,  and 
may  now  be  sailing  toward  the  river  with  them 
on  board,  while  we've  no  small  boat  to  follow 
them  in.  Whatever  we  may  think  of  Howard's 
principles  we  must  admit  he 's  sharp,  and,  know- 
ing it  would  take  some  hours  for  us  to  lower  the 
launch  around  the  falls,  he  has  laid  his  plans, 
you  may  be  sure,  to  get  well  out  of  our  way 
before  we  can  even  begin  our  pursuit. ' ' 

There  was  a  reasonableness  in  Ben's  sugges- 
tion that  carried  conviction  with  it,  and  Harry 
promptly  replied: 

"Then  our  course  is  this:  We  must  first  find 
out  whether  the  boat  has  been  dragged  around 
either  side  of  the  falls.  If  so,  then  the  chase  is 
down  toward  the  river,  and  we  must  find  a  way 
to  overhaul  the  deserters  before  they  reach  Mc- 
Pherson's  Landing.  But  if  they  have  not  gone 
around  the  falls  we  must  divide  into  two 
parties,  one  to  hunt  for  the  yawl,  and  the  other 
to  go  up  the  ravine.  We  have  no  time  to  lose 
either.  Ben,  will  you  and  Tom  get  the  launch 
ready!  Meanwhile  the  rest  of  us  will  get 
breakfast,  so  that  when  the  steam  is  up,  we 
can  be  off." 

Jones  and  his  three  camp-mates  were  eager 
to  help  in  the  search  for  their  late  companions 
and  so  two  of  the  Institute  boys  were  detailed 


A  HARD  NUT  TO  CRACK  259 

to  remain  in  charge  of  the  camp,  while  all  the 
others  boarded  the  launch  the  moment  she  was 
in  a  condition  to  start,  and  ran  over  to  the  south- 
east corner  of  the  lake. 

Here  a  careful  examination  of  the  ground 
was  made  along  the  bank  to  the  pool  below,  but 
there  was  no  evidence  that  a  boat  or  heavy  body 
of  any  kind  had  recently  been  dragged  around 
that  point. 

"They  haven't  gone  this  way,"  Harry  de- 
clared with  positiveness  after  the  search  was 
over ;  ' '  for  the  boat  was  too  heavy  for  them  to 
carry  it  clear  of  the  ground  for  that  distance, 
and  we  should  find  some  traces  of  their  work. 
We'll  now  cross  to  the  north  side." 

Entering  the  launch,  it  was  run  up  the  lake 
until  beyond  the  swift  current  created  by  the 
falls,  and  then  across  to  the  opposite  shore. 

All  the  lads  but  Ben  leaped  out,  and  began  to 
examine  the  circuitous  and  uneven  route  about 
the  cataract  at  this  point.  No  evidence  that  the 
boat  had  been  carried  down  was  discovered, 
however,  and  Harry,  with  a  ring  of  exultation 
in  his  voice  said: 

"We  are  in  time,  boys;  the  deserters  have 
not  yet  gone  down  the  stream.  We'll  divide 
now,  and  while  a  part  of  us  go  up  the  ravine, 


260  THE  CRUISE  OF  THE  FIREFLY 

the  rest  can  march  along  the  shore  for  the  yawl. 
Hurrah ! ' ' 

They  returned  to  the  lake,  to  find  that  Ben 
had  run  the  steamer  up  the  beach  a  few  rods, 
and  was  eagerly  examining  the  bank  adjacent 
to  him. 

"What  is  it,  Ben?"  they  asked  as  they  has- 
tened to  join  him. 

For  answer,  he  pointed  out  a  place  where 
the  pebbles  were  wet  from  the  water's  edge  to 
the  grassy  embankment  above. 

"Yes,  we  see  it.  but  what  of  it?"  several 
asked. 

"The  boat  was  taken  out  of  the  water  there, 
and  lifted  up  into  the  woods, ' '  he  said,  and  then 
noticing  the  incredulous  looks  of  his  comrades, 
he  added:  "It  is  in  the  shadow  of  those  trees, 
and  the  sun  has  not  yet  dried  the  drippings  of 
the  yawl.  Search  there  and  I  promise  you  that 
you  will  find  the  boat  no  great  distance  away. ' ' 

"You  have  sharp  eyes,  Ben,  and  but  for  you 
I'm  not  sure  we  should  outwit  those  fellows  at 
all,"  Harry  remarked,  as  he  entered  the  forest, 
followed  by  the  other  boys. 

Three  minutes  later  the  yawl  was  found 
deftly  hidden  among  the  surrounding  shrub- 
bery.    Its  discovery  was  received  with  a  shout 


A  HARD  NUT  TO  CRACK  261 

by  the  lads,  which  Wallace,  however,  quickly 
checked. 

"Hush!  we  don't  know  how  near  the  run- 
aways may  be,"  he  said,  "and  our  hope  of 
catching  them  now  is  to  leave  the  boat  undis- 
turbed, while  some  of  you  guard  it.  Two  will 
be  enough,  which  of  you  will  volunteer  for  the 
work?" 

Several  responded  to  the  call,  but  Bill  Dun- 
ster  and  Bob  Hunt  were  selected,  and  they  hid 
themselves  among  the  bushes,  while  the  other 
boys  re-entered  the  launch,  and  sailed  away  to 
the  point,  where  was  the  entrance  to  the  ravine. 

"We  may  be  gone  some  hours,  Ben,"  Harry 
said,  as  he  and  his  party  landed  at  the  mouth  of 
the  stream,  "and  perhaps  you  had  better  run 
back  to  the  island.  Should  Howard  and  his 
companion  be  lurking  around  they  will  then  get 
no  clue  to  our  movements." 

"All  right,"  the  cripple  responded,  "and  I 
will  run  over  for  you  at  six.  If  you  want  me 
before,  fire  off  two  guns  and  I'll  hurry  across 
for  you." 

The  search  party  now  began  their  advance, 
and  not  far  from  noon  reached  the  junction  of 
the  gorges,  where  they  stopped  to  eat  the  lunch 
they  had  brought  with  them.  Then  they  passed 
up  the  right  side  of  the  stream,  carefully  exam- 


262  THE  CRUISE  OF  THE  FIREFLY 

ining  every  crevice  that  seemed  likely  to  answer 
the  description  of  that  for  which  they  were 
searching. 

Four  hours  later  they  arrived  at  the  end  of 
the  ravine,  a  huge  cliff  down  whose  side  the 
water  dashed  in  picturesque  beauty  to  the  shal- 
low basin,  from  which  it  ran  in  ever  increasing 
stream  to  the  lake,  several  miles  away ;  but  not 
a  trace  of  the  cave  had  been  discovered.  In  fact 
not  a  beech  tree  on  that  side  of  the  gorge,  great 
or  small,  was  found  beside  an  opening  large 
enough  to  conceal  the  flags. 

"We  will  return  on  the  other  side  of  the 
brook;  it  may  be  possible  Howard  crossed  it 
before  hiding  the  banners,' '  Harry  remarked, 
after  they  had  stood  at  the  foot  of  the  falls  a 
few  minutes,  admiring  the  scenery.  "But  we'll 
have  to  hurry  to  reach  the  lake  at  the  appointed 
hour. ' ' 

At  a  rapid  pace,  the  lads  made  their  descent 
of  the  gorge,  looking  on  every  side  for  the  big 
beech  tree.  Once,  just  before  they  struck  the 
main  ravine,  Harry  thought  they  had  found  it, 
but  on  approaching  nearer  the  tree  proved  to  be 
a  birch,  and  though  it  grew  near  the  cliff,  no 
opening  was  upon  either  side  of  the  huge  trunk. 

"We'll  have  to  give  it  up,  boys,"  Wallace 
said  with  a  good  deal  of  chagrin  at  their  ill- 


A  HARD  NUT  TO  CRACK  263 

success,  manifest  in  his  tones,  when  they  ar- 
rived at  the  foot  of  the  mountain  spur.  "Un- 
less Bill  and  Bob  have  captured  the  deserters 
our  prospect  of  seeing  the  flags  again  isn't 
worth  much.  Ten  to  one  if  we  found  the  cave 
they  wouldn't  be  there  now." 

Ben  was  waiting  for  them  at  the  point,  and 
on  their  embarking  ran  down  the  shore  for 
Dunster  and  Hunt. 

They  reported  no  change  in  the  situation 
since  the  departure  of  their  comrades.  Not 
even  an  animal  had  put  in  an  appearance  to  re- 
lieve the  monotony  of  their  long  watch. 

"I  guess  they  discovered  us,  and  abandon- 
ing the  boat,  have  started  on  their  long  tramp 
down  to  the  river,"  Bob  said  on  finishing  his 
report.  "We've  been  tempted  all  the  after- 
noon to  carry  the  yawl  down  to  the  pool,  and 
push  after  them.  Only  man  it  now,  and  we'll 
overtake  them  before  they  reach  McPherson's." 

Harry  shook  his  head. 

"I  think  they  have  not  intended  to  be  off  with 
the  yawl  before  to-night,"  he  said;  "the  careful 
manner  of  hiding  it  looks  like  it.  Probably 
they  are  crouching  among  the  hills  somewhere 
until  dark;  then  they  will  try  to  steal  off.  I 
propose  we  leave  the  boat  where  it  is  until 
morning,  still  keeping  watch   over  it.     I   will 


264  THE  CRUISE  OF  THE  FIREFLY 

stand  guard  for  one ;  who  will  stay  with  rne  1 9 ' 

The  whole  party  volunteered  to  a  man,  but 
selecting  Tom  Sexsmith  and  Ed  Willis,  Wallace 
sent  the  others  over  to  the  camp,  promising  if 
the  deserters  did  not  appear,  to  return  at  dawn 
to  the  island  in  the  yawl. 

Barely  were  the  inmates  of  the  encampment 
awake  next  morning,  when  Harry  and  his  two 
comrades  arrived.  They  had  seen  nothing  dur- 
ing the  night  of  the  missing  lads,  and  their  non- 
appearance became  a  more  perplexing  problem 
than  ever. 

Had  they  concealed  the  boat  purposely,  to 
make  their  comrades  think  they  were  still  in  the 
neighborhood,  and  left  at  once  for  the  river? 
Or  had  they,  after  securing  the  banners,  dis- 
covered that  the  yawl  was  watched,  and  so  giv- 
ing up  their  original  purpose  of  using  it,  set 
out  on  foot  for  the  nearest  settlement?  Or  had 
some  misfortune  overtaken  the  deserted  youths, 
thwarting  their  plans  altogether,  and  prevent- 
ing their  return  to  the  concealed  craft?  Added 
to  these  perplexing  questions  was  another; 
where  was  the  big  beech  tree  and  its  adjacent 
cavern  in  which  the  flags  were  said  to  be  con- 
cealed; but  which  the  most  careful  search  had 
failed  to  find? 

The  boys  discussed  these  and  similar  queries 


A  HARD  NUT  TO  CRACK  265 

while  at  their  breakfast,  but  could  reach  no  sat- 
isfactory conclusion  about  any  of  them;  the 
general  sentiment  of  the  camp  was  voiced  by 
Tom  Sexsmith  however,  when  after  a  long  dis- 
cussion, he  said: 

"My  opinion  is  if  we  find  those  fellows,  you'll 
find  the  banners ;  but  where  they  are  is  a  mighty 
hard  nut  to  crack. " 


CHAPTER  XXVII 

A  CRY  FOR  HELP 

46  1  1  7 ELL,  what's  our  orders  for  the  day, 
YY  captain? "  Fred  Williams  asked, 
half  playfully  and  half  seriously, 
after  the  long  discussion  was  over. 

Harry  laughed. 

"Ed,  Tom,  and  I  are  going  to  turn  in  and  get 
a  few  hours  of  sleep,"  he  said;  "the  rest  of 
you  must  decide  for  yourselves  as  to  the  course 
you  will  follow." 

"Some  of  us  might  take  the  yawl  and  go  down 
as  far  as  McPherson's,"  Fred  suggested,  "if 
the  runaways  are  tramping  that  way,  we  can 
overhaul  them  yet." 

"I'm  not  sure  they  have  gone  that  way  at 
all,"  Harry  responded;  "I  am  completely  at 
sea  respecting  their  movements  except  in  one 
particular.  I'm  quite  certain  they  have  fixed 
it  so  that  there's  little  chance  of  our  recovering 
the  flags.  But  if  any  of  you  are  willing  to 
make  the  trip  down  to  the  river,  it  will  settle  the 
point  as  to  whether  they  have  gone  in  that 

266 


A  CRY  FOR  HELP  267 

direction,  and  I  shall  be  glad  to  have  you  go 
on  that  account  if  for  no  other." 

"I'll  talk  it  up  with  the  other  boys,"  Fred 
said,  walking  away. 

Harry  had  reached  the  tent  door,  and  was 
about  to  enter  when  Eeed  Jones  joined  him. 

"Can  I  see  you  alone,  Harry?"  he  asked  in 
low  tones. 

' '  Certainly ;  there  is  no  one  in  the  tent ;  come 
in!"  was  Wallace's  hearty  answer. 

"Do  you  still  trust  mef"  was  Eeed's  abnrpt 
question  when  he  and  Harry  were  alone.  ' '  Do 
you  believe  I've  told  you  the  truth  about  the 
banners  ? ' ' 

' '  Of  course  I  do, ' '  Harry  answered  promptly ; 
"Howard  may  have  deceived  you  about  their 
hiding  place,  or  you  may  have  misunderstood 
him,  but  I  believe  you  have  honestly  done  your 
part  toward  restoring  the  flags  to  us." 

"Thank  you,"  Jones  said,  his  face  brighten- 
ing at  his  comrade's  words;  "I  am  willing  to 
give  you  another  pair  exactly  like  those,  and  no 
one  but  ourselves  need  know  the  difference," 
and  he  glanced  wistfully  into  his  rival's  face. 

' '  They  would  not  be  the  ones  we  won, ' '  Harry 
replied  as  gently  as  he  could;  "and  unless  we 
can  carry  the  identical  flags  back  to  the  Insti- 
tute, I'd  rather  return  home  without  any.     But 


268  THE  CRUISE  OF  THE  FIREFLY 

I  thank  you  for  the  offer,  and  it  is  generous  in 
you. ' ' 

"I  supposed  you  would  feel  that  way,"  Reed 
reluctantly  admitted;  "but  I'm  not  going  to 
give  up  the  hunt  for  the  banners  yet.  "Would 
you  be  willing  to  let  me  have  the  yawl  long 
enough  to  go  down  to  McPherson's,  and  see 
whether  I  can  find  any  trace  of  the  deserters  ? ' ' 

"Williams  just  proposed  that  trip,  and  has 
gone  off  to  talk  it  up  with  the  other  fellows," 
answered  Harry;  "pick  out  a  crew,  and  go 
down  there  by  all  means  if  you  wish. ' ' 

Jones  hastened  away,  but  came  back  in  a 
few  minutes  to  say  that  all  of  his  own  crew,  and 
three  of  Harry's,  Reynolds,  Hunt  and  Williams, 
were  eager  to  go  on  the  proposed  expedition. 
He  stated,  furthermore,  that  they  could  be  off 
in  a  short  time,  and  by  rapid  rowing  would 
reach  the  river  before  noon.  The  return 
against  the  current  of  the  stream  would,  of 
course,  take  several  hours  longer,  but  probably 
before  midnight  they  could  be  back  in  camp 
again. 

Harry  readily  consented  to  the  arrangement, 
suggesting  that  if  on  arriving  at  McPherson's 
it  should  seem  wiser  for  them  to  stay  over 
night  and  return  the  next  day,  they  were  at 
liberty  to  do  so. 


A  CRY  FOR  HELP  269 

In  a  half  hour,  the  search  party  was  off,  and 
Harry,  Tom  and  Ed,  who  had  awaited  its  de- 
parture, entered  the  tent  for  their  much  needed 
rest. 

Ben,  left  alone,  resorted  to  his  old  pastime — 
that  of  fishing — for  amusement,  He  had  found 
that  the  southwest  end  of  the  lake  offered  the 
best  opportunity  for  bass ;  and,  starting  up  the 
engine  of  the  launch,  he  ran  over  to  the  desired 
locality,  and  then,  drifting  slowly  back  down 
the  lake,  threw  out  his  line  for  a  troll. 

A  few  minutes  passed,  and  then  a  fish  caught 
the  minnow  with  a  fierceness  that  ran  off  a 
hundred  feet  of  the  cord  before  the  astonished 
lad  could  lay  his  hand  upon  the  reel.  Then 
there  began  a  struggle  for  the  mastery,  intense 
in  its  excitement,  exasperating  in  its  uncer- 
tainty, and  exhaustive  in  its  duration. 

Has  my  young  reader  ever  had  any  luck  in 
fishing  for  black  bass?  If  so,  he  can  under- 
stand the  struggle  in  which  Cripple  Ben  was 
engaged  for  the  next  ten  minutes.  He  knows 
how  the  halt  boy's  arms  ached,  and  his  heart 
swelled  with  a  feeling  of  triumph,  when  the 
gamy  fish  at  last  lay  quiet  enough  at  the  side 
of  the  launch  for  the  net  to  be  placed  under  him 
and  his  capture  made  sure.  Fully  six  pounds 
he  weighed,  and  as  nothing  of  his  size  had  been 


270  THE  CRUISE  OF  THE  FIREFLY 

brought  into  camp  by  any  of  the  other  lads, 
Ben  had  a  right  to  gaze  upon  the  noble  fellow 
with  pride. 

But  he  was  to  have  that  pride  magnified 
another  fold,  for,  five  minutes  later,  his  hook 
was  again  seized  with  a  voracity  that  showed 
an  "old  settler"  had  captured  it.  A  struggle, 
identical  with  the  first  followed,  save  at  one 
time  the  bass  leaped  clear  over  the  bow  of  the 
boat,  entangling  it  in  the  line,  and  then  dived 
into  the  depths  of  the  lake,  as  though  he  would 
seek  escape  there.  With  an  eye  that  watched 
every  movement  of  the  fish,  however,  and  a 
hand  that  quickly  freed  the  cord  from  every 
entanglement,  the  boy  fought  out  the  contest, 
and  in  fifteen  minutes  laid  a  worthy  mate  be- 
side the  first  victim. 

No  other  fish  seemed  to  care  to  enter  into  a 
struggle  with  the  young  fisherman  that  morn- 
ing, so  he,  well  satisfied  with  his  luck,  put  the 
tiny  engine  of  the  boat  in  motion,  and  steamed 
back  to  the  island. 

His  companions  were  still  sleeping,  and  Ben, 
intending  to  surprise  them  with  a  broiled  bass 
dinner,  cleaned  the  fish,  and,  with  that  deftness 
that  long  practice  had  given  him,  soon  had  one 
of  them  browning  nicely  over  the  fire. 

Awakened  perhaps  by  the  savory  odor  that 


A  CRY  FOR  HELP  271 

filled  the  air,  the  three  lads  now  came  forth 
from  the  tent,  and  needed  no  second  invitation 
from  Ben  to  sit  down  and  partake  of  the  appetiz- 
ing repast.  During  the  meal  the  crippled  lad 
told  of  his  morning's  exploit,  and  exhibited  his 
uncooked  fish  to  the  admiring  eyes  of  his  com- 
rades. The  exhibition  and  recital  together 
stirred  the  piscatorial  fever  of  his  companions 
to  so  great  a  heat  that  all  of  them  heartily  en- 
cored Tom's  expressive  but  inelegant  declara- 
tion: 

"Hang  the  sleep!  I  wish  I'd  been  with 
you." 

Ed  and  Tom  offered  to  clear  up  the  dinner, 
and  Harry  and  Ben  walked  off  toward  the  land- 
ing. 

"Ben,  tell  me  just  what  you  think  of  this 
affair,"  Harry  said,  as  they  moved  off. 

"The  flags,  or  the  deserters,  or  both?"  ques- 
tioned Ben,  smilingly. 

1 '  Both, ' '  responded  Wallace.  ' '  I  think  so  far 
as  the  hiding-place  of  the  banners  is  concerned 
that  Jones  has  misunderstood  Howard,"  he 
said.  "There  is  no  good  reason  to  suppose 
that  he  at  that  time  cared  to  deceive  Seed,  and 
I'm  inclined  to  believe  he  said  'a  big  birch'  in- 
stead of  'a  big  beech'  tree.  If  so,  why  not  the 
very   one  you   saw  near   the   junction  of  the 


272  THE  CRUISE  OF  THE  FIREFLY 

gorges?  Jack  would  have  hid  the  flags  in 
the  first  good  place  he  came  across,  and  why 
suppose  that  he  went  very  far  up  the  ravine  f ' ' 

i  i  There  is  force  in  what  you  say, ' '  Harry  ad- 
mitted thoughtfully,  "but  I  could  find  no  open- 
ing in  the  cliff  anywhere  near  it." 

"How  far  on  each  side  of  the  tree  did  you 
look?"  Ben  asked. 

"Only  a  few  feet,"  Wallace  answered.  "It 
was  late,  and  we  were  in  a  hurry  to  reach  the 
lake,  where  we  knew  you  were  already  waiting 
for  us,  and  so  did  not  make  as  close  a  search  as 
we  might  have  done." 

"I'd  like  to  go  up  there  myself,"  said  Ben 
meditatively,  "and  by  taking  plenty  of  time  I 
can  walk  as  far  as  that.  You  know  I  did  it 
once;  that  time  I  followed  Reed  and  Jack." 

"Yes,"  Harry  replied,  "and  we'll  go  now,  if 
you  say  so." 

Ben  gave  an  eager  assent  to  the  plan,  and 
calling  Tom  to  set  them  across  to  the  point  in 
the  launch,  they  were  soon  on  their  way  up  the 
ravine. 

By  resting  a  few  times  Ben  made  the  distance 
without  great  fatigue,  and  at  last  he  and  Harry 
stood  under  the  great  birch.  While  the  halt 
boy  again  rested,  Wallace  examined  the  sides  of 


A  CRY  FOR  HELP  273 

the  gorge  some  distance  above  and  below  the 
tree.     Then  he  came  back  to  Ben : 

' '  I  see  nothing  like  a  cave  anywhere  around, ' ' 
he  reported. 

"Do  you  notice  the  formation  of  the  cliff  up 
there?"  was  Ben's  response,  pointing  at  the 
same  time  into  the  limbs  of  the  birch. 

Harry  glanced  above  him,  and  for  the  first 
time  noticed  that  the  cliff  twenty  feet  from  the 
ground  suddenly  receded,  and  that  two  huge 
branches  of  the  tree  swept  in  over  the  shelving 
rock  beyond  the  range  of  his  vision  from  that 
point  of  observation.  Quickly  divining  Ben's 
meaning,  he  ran  off  toward  the  brook  a  few  rods, 
and  then  turned  and  looked  up  at  the  side  of  the 
gorge.  An  exclamation  of  delight  immediately 
escaped  him: 

"There  is  an  opening  into  the  rock,  but  it  is 
nearly  hidden  by  the  overhanging  limbs.  How 
is  a  fellow  to  get  up  there!" 

Ben  pointed  down  the  side  of  the  gorge  a  few 
feet,  and  Harry,  following  the  motion  with  his 
eyes,  saw  there  was  a  rough  but  accessible  in- 
cline to  a  point  from  which  he  could  readily 
catch  hold  of  the  branches  of  the  birch  and 
clamber  into  the  cave. 

In  another  minute  he  had  made  the  ascent, 
and    disappeared    over    the    cliff,    while    Ben 

18 


274  THE  CRUISE  OF  THE  FIREFLY 

patiently,  but  with  some  curiosity,  awaited  his 
return.  He  came  soon,  bearing  in  his  hand  a 
small  piece  of  paper,  evidently  torn  from  the 
back  of  an  old  letter. 

"I  found  the  cavern,''  he  said  as  soon  as  he 
caught  sight  of  Ben,  "but  there  was  nothing  in 
it  except  this  note  for  Eeed  Jones,  signed  by 
Jack  Howard." 

He  handed  the  paper  to  his  comrade  as  he  re- 
joined him,  and  Ben  with  some  amusement  read 
the  saucy  message  it  contained: 

You  are  on  the  wrong  track  with  your  party,  Reed,  and 
should  you  ever  dicover  this  place,  which  is  very  doubtful, 
you'll  find  the  silk  beauties  gone.  Sitting  here  and  watching 
you  and  your  gang,  I  can't  help  laughing  over  your  dis- 
appointment, and  I  run  the  risk  of  leaving  this  note  to 
let  you  know,  if  it  comes  to  your  eye,  we  long  before  it 
was  fomid  left  here  for  down  the  river.  Don't  be  so 
quick  to  promise  a  thing  again,  until  you  have  asked  the 
help  of 

Jack  Howard. 

When  Ben  had  read  the  letter  he  handed  it 
back  to  Harry,  saying: 

"It  is  evident  that  Jack  and  Tim  were  in 
the  cave  when  you  and  the  boys  came  up  here 
searching  for  it. ' ' 

"Yes,"  assented  Wallace.     "And  that  they 


A  CRY  FOR  HELP  275 

intended  to  go  from  here  directly  down  the 
river. ' ' 

Harry  gave  an  affirmative  nod. 

"Do  you  suppose  then  some  misfortune  has 
happened  to  them?"  was  Ben's  startling  ques- 
tion. 

"What  do  you  mean!"  exclaimed  Harry  in 
amazement. 

"Just  this,"  replied  he;  "the  way  the  boat 
was  concealed,  and  also  this  note,  confirms  my 
belief  that  the  runaways  intended  first  to  get 
the  flags  and  then  go  down  the  river  with  them. 
But  though  you  watched  the  yawl  continually 
you  saw  nothing  of  the  boys.  It  isn't  likely 
they  would  have  discovered  you  guarding  the 
craft  before  you  saw  something  of  them,  for 
you  were  concealed,  while  they  were  on  the 
move.  I  fear  then  somewhere  between  here 
and  the  boat,  something  happened  to  upset 
their  purpose,  and  that  is  the  reason  they  have 
not  put  in  an  appearance. ' ' 

"What  could  possibly  have  happened  to 
them! "  asked  Harry  incredulously. 

"I  don't  know  any  more  than  you,"  answered 
Ben,  "but  if  our  men  come  back  from  McPher- 
son's  with  no  trace  of  the  runaways,  I  should 
form  a  party  and  scour  the  whole  section  of 
country  between  this  ravine  and  the  north  side 


276  THE  CRUISE  OF  THE  FIREFLY 

of  the  falls.  I'm  quite  sure  Howard  and  Se- 
cord  failed  to  come  back  to  the  hidden  boat,  be- 
cause they  couldn  't. ' ' 

Ben's  theory  seemed  hardly  plausible  to 
Harry,  and  yet  so  great  was  his  respect  for 
Ben's  acuteness  in  getting  to  the  bottom  of 
such  a  matter,  he  readily  promised : 

"It  shall  be  done." 

The  boys  now  descended  the  ravine,  their 
steps  hastened  somewhat  by  the  appearance  of 
a  large  cloud  in  the  West  that  suggested  a 
shower. 

"When  they  reached  the  lake  the  sky  was  al- 
ready overcast,  and  the  low  muttering  of  thun- 
der, could  be  distinctly  heard. 

"You  fellows  are  in  the  nick  of  time,"  was 
Tom's  salutation  as  they  stepped  on  board  the 
launch,  and  without  further  comment,  he  headed 
the  Fire-Fly  for  the  island. 

On  landing  they  were  surprised  to  find  Ed 
Willis  was  not  alone.  Oneco,  the  young  Indian, 
was  with  him,  and  he,  pointing  to  a  yawl  moored 
at  the  landing,  gave  the  following  expressive 
greeting : 

"There  stolen  boat;  stolen  guns  in  tent. 
How'dye  do?" 

Harry  at  once  understood  the  savage  to  mean 
that  he  had  brought  back  the  stolen  property  of 


A  CRY  FOR  HELP  277 

the  rival  camp,  and  he  shook  hands  warmly  with 
him.  There  was  not  time  to  hear  his  story  just 
then,  however,  for  barely  was  the  launch  se- 
cured, and  the  lads  under  the  cover  of  the  tent, 
when  the  storm  burst  in  fury  over  the  lake. 
The  wind  came  in  fearful  gusts,  the  rain  fell  in 
torrents,  the  lightning  was  one  continuous 
glare,  the  peals  of  thunder  were  terrific. 

."I  tell  you  this  squall  means  business,' '  Tom 
Sexsmith  said,  glancing  up  at  the  swaying  can- 
vas, and  the  creaking  tent  poles.  "You  don't 
suppose  we'll  be  swept  off  into  the  lake,  do 
you?" 

"Hark!  what  was  that?"  Harry  cried  the 
next  minute. 

All  listened.  Then  above  the  noise  of  the 
gale,  they  caught  distinctly  the  human  cry: 
"Help!    Help!" 

In  an  instant  it  was  repeated,  and  this  time 
farther  away  from  the  island,  but  nearer  to  the 
falls. 


CHAPTER  XXVIII 

OVER  THE  FALLS 

TO  UNDERSTAND  who  uttered,  and  the 
circumstances  which  called  forth  that 
cry,  we  must  go  back  and  follow  Jack 
Howard  and  Tim  Secord  in  their  wanderings. 

On  leaving  the  island  they  purposely  avoided 
landing  at  either  the  point  by  the  mouth  of  the 
ravine,  or  the  northeast  side  of  the  falls,  for 
they  suspected  their  companions  would  examine 
both  of  those  places  as  soon  as  they  became 
aware  of  the  desertion. 

Choosing  a  spot  some  rods  west  of  the  falls, 
therefore,  they  landed,  and,  lifting  the  yawl 
clear  of  the  water,  carried  it  up  the  bank  into 
the  bushes,  unmindful  of  the  wet  trail  they  left 
behind  them,  and  which  was  not  to  escape  Crip- 
ple Ben's  sharp  eyes. 

Turning  the  boat  over,  they  crawled  under  it, 
where  they  remained  until  morning.  Then  they 
hid  the  craft  in  the  scrubbery,  ate  a  hasty 
breakfast  from  the  scanty  provisions  they  had 
brought  with  them,  and  set  out  across  the  hills 

278 


OVER  THE  FALLS  279 

in  a  direct  line  for  the  cave,  where  the  banners 
were  concealed. 

Their  route  led  them  over  a  considerable 
mountain,  from  whose  top  they  descended  into 
a  small  valley  almost  entirely  hemmed  in  by  the 
surrounding  peaks. 

As  they  were  crossing  this,  Jack  suddenly 
came  to  a  halt,  saying: 

"Look  there,  Tim,  I  believe  there  was  once 
some  sort  of  a  settlement  here.  See  those  old 
apple  trees,  and  just  beyond  them  are  the  re- 
mains of  a  cellar.  Who  do  you  suppose  was 
fool  enough  to  live  in  this  out  of  the  way  re- 
gion?" 

"I  can't  imagine,"  responded  Tim,  looking 
around  him ;  "but  it  must  have  been  a  long  time 
ago  that  they  left,  for  the  underbrush  is  grow- 
ing all  around  the  cellar,  and  there  is  quite  a 
big  tree  coming  right  up  out  of  it. ' ' 

"That's  so,"  chimed  in  Howard;  "but  what 
is  that  mound  further  down  the  valley?  Let's 
go  and  look  at  it." 

Turning  a  little  to  the  left  of  their  course, 
they  approached  an  oval  heap,  rising  a  few  feet 
above  the  surrounding  ground.  Its  extreme 
length  was  perhaps  fifteen  feet,  while  its 
breadth  was  half  as  great;   and  though  now 


280  THE  CRUISE  OF  THE  FIREFLY 

covered  with  heavy  grass  and  bushes,  it  was  un- 
doubtedly the  work  of  man. 

Wondering  for  what  purpose  the  curious  pile 
had  been  constructed,  the  boys  walked  to  its 
south  end,  where  they  found  a  large  flat  stone 
standing  squarely  against  the  mound  as  though 
covering  an  opening. 

' '  I  believe  this  is  meant  for  a  door,  Tim ;  lets 
turn  it  over,  and  look  inside, ' '  exclaimed  Jack. 

Grasping  the  rock  at  its  top,  the  two  lads 
strove  to  pull  it  away  from  the  end  of  the  heap, 
but  it  was  too  deeply  imbedded  in  the  soil  to 
yield  to  their  united  strength,  and  they  soon 
desisted  from  their  efforts. 

"I  say,  Jack,  the  west  edge  of  the  stone  is 
free  from  the  turf,  perhaps  we  could  work  a 
stick  under  there,  and  pry  it  up  enough  to  peep 
in,"  cried  Tim  eying  the  rock  critically. 

A  stout  stick  was  soon  found,  and  with  some 
difficulty  worked  back  of  the  stone,  in  this  man- 
ner it  was  slowly  pressed  away  from  the  mound 
far  enough  for  the  toilers  to  look  into  the  inte- 
rior of  the  heap. 

Getting  down  upon  their  knees,  they,  by  turn, 
peeped  through  the  opening.  It  was  too  dark 
for  them  to  discern  anything  more  than  the 
faintest  outline  of  the  hole,  but  it  was  evidently 


OVER  THE  FALLS  281 

several  feet  deep,  and  as  large  as  the  mound 
itself,  save  the  thickness  of  the  walls. 

"Ho!  it's  nothing  but  an  underground  cel- 
lar/' said  Jack  in  something  like  disgust. 
"We've  no  more  time  to  fool  away  on  it  come 
on!" 

Continuing  their  journey  now  over  the  hills, 
they,  after  a  time,  came  to  the  ravine  they 
sought,  and  descending  into  it,  crossed  the 
brook,  and  reached  the  big  birch  that  marked 
the  entrance  to  the  cave. 

Climbing  into  this,  Howard  brought  from  the 
rear  end  the  banners  he  had  hidden  there  some 
days  before,  and  signified  his  readiness  to  de- 
part, 

Tim,  however,  declared  he  was  both  tired  and 
hungry  from  his  long  tramp,  and  suggested 
that  they  should  eat  their  dinner.  Howard 
consented,  and  it  was  while  engaged  in  their  re- 
past, that  they  heard  their  late  companions 
coming  up  the  gorge. 

Keeping  quiet  themselves,  they  watched  the 
searchers  until  they  vanished  up  the  east  side 
of  the  ravine.  Then  Howard  wrote  the  note 
which  the  next  day  fell  into  Harry's  hands; 
after  which  he  and  Tim  each  taking  a  banner, 
began  their  return  trip  to  the  boat. 

By  the  time  they  reached  the  valley,  where 


282  THE  CRUISE  OF  THE  FIREFLY 

they  had  found  the  evidences  of  a  former  settle- 
ment, they  were  glad  to  rest  their  weary  arms 
by  laying  down  their  guns,  the  flags  and  the 
bags  which  contained  the  remnant  of  their  pro- 
visions. 

As  they  stretched  themselves  upon  the  ground 
under  the  shade  of  a  large  maple,  Howard 
said: 

"I  tell  you,  Tim,  I'm  a  good  mind  to  put  these 
banners  into  that  underground  cellar.  They 
are  a  nuisance  to  carry  any  way,  and,  if  taken 
down  the  river  with  us,  will  make  it  easy  for 
the  boys  to  trace  us  out,  should  they  try  to 
follow  us." 

"All  right,' '  responded  Tim;  "this  is  a  dish 
of  your  own  cooking,  and  you  can  do  what  you 
please  with  the  things." 

Jack  rose  and  went  over  to  the  mound.  He 
found  that  the  stone,  left  to  itself,  had  dropped 
back  into  its  original  position,  and  calling  Tim 
to  his  aid,  they  again  pried  it  open.  The  mo- 
ment their  lever  was  removed,  however,  back 
the  rock  slipped  to  its  place. 

"I'll  fix  that!"  Secord  exclaimed,  and  look- 
ing around  for  a  short  limb,  he  put  it  in  length- 
wise between  the  stone  and  the  mound,  and 
found  it  answered  the  purpose  of  holding  the 
rocky  door  ajar. 


OVER  THE  FALLS  283 

" There  you  are,  Jack!''  he  continued;  "toss 
the  banners  in,  and  then  I'll  let  the  stone  back 
to  its  place.' ' 

"No,  I'll  get  down  in  there,  and  you  can 
hand  them  to  me,"  Howard  responded,  and 
crawling  through  the  narrow  opening,  he  leaped 
into  the  pit. 

' '  Gracious  ! "  he  exclaimed  the  next  instant, 
"it's  deeper  than  I  thought.  See,  my  head 
don't  come  anywhere  near  your  level,  Tim. 
How  am  I  to  get  out,  I  'd  like  to  know  % ' ' 

"I  can  let  down  the  lever  for  you  to  shin 
up,"  answered  Secord.  "Here  are  the  ban- 
ners," and  he  passed  them  through  the  entrance 
way  to  his  comrade. 

Howard  took  the  flags,  and  winding  them 
closely  about  their  staves  carried  them  to  the 
end  of  the  subterranean  chamber. 

"Run  in  the  stick,  Tim,"  he  said  a  moment 
later,  as  he  returned' to  the  opening. 

Secord  drew  back  from  the  hole  to  comply 
with  this  request,  but  the  movement  started  the 
loose,  gravelly  soil  beneath  him,  and  the  next 
minute  he  plunged  headlong  into  the  pit  itself. 
The  jar  of  his  fall  shook  the  wedge  that  held 
the  stone  away  from  the  mound  from  its  posi- 
tion, and  with  a  loud  noise  the  rock  swung  into 
its  place,  shutting  in  the  dismayed  boys. 


284  THE  CRUISE  OF  THE  FIREFLY 

It  was  some  time  before  they  rallied  from 
their  astonishment  at  the  misfortune  that  had 
befallen  them  sufficiently  to  realize  the  serious- 
ness of  their  situation.  When  they  did  so,  they 
were  terrified  at  the  outlook. 

No  one  knew  where  they  were ;  neither  one  of 
them  was  tall  enough  to  reach  the  stone,  and 
even  if  they  could  do  so  they  had  little  hope  of 
pushing  it  away  from  the  entrance  with  their 
bare  hands.  What  little  food  they  possessed 
lay  outside  with  their  guns,  and  unless  they 
found  a  way  of  escape  that  most  lingering  and 
torturing  of  deaths  awaited  them — starvation. 

Even  Howard  was  quick  to  realize  the  grave 
position  in  which  they  were  placed;  and,  re- 
fraining from  upbraiding  his  comrade  for  the 
part  he  had  played  in  bringing  the  misfortune 
upon  them,  he  bade  him  think  of  some  way 
whereby  they  might  get  out  of  their  dungeon. 

Various  means  were  tried  before  nightfall, 
but  none  gave  the  slightest  hope  of  success,  and 
tired  and  discouraged  the  prisoners  lay  down 
upon  the  damp  bottom  of  their  prison  house  to 
sleep.  Fortunately,  the  stone  did  not  cover  the 
opening  so  tightly  as  entirely  to  exclude  the 
fresh  air,  and  there  was  no  danger  of  suffoca- 
tion. 

Early  morning  found  the  lads  hungry  and 


OVER  THE  FALLS  285 

weak  from  their  long  fasting,  and  almost  in 
despair.  Howard  was  the  more  discouraged  of 
the  two,  and  could  find  no  term  quite  strong- 
enough  to  berate  himself  for  the  stubbornness 
which  had  led  him  to  undertake  the  plan  that 
had  resulted  so  disastrously. 

Secord  was  very  quiet  and  thoughtful,  and 
the  frequency  with  which  he  examined  the  stone 
above  his  head  showed  he  was  maturing  a 
scheme  for  their  relief.     Finally  he  said: 

"Don't  you  suppose,  Jack,  that  by  holding 
each  other  up,  in  turn,  we  could  tunnel  under 
the  rock,  and  work  our  way  out ! ' ' 

"We've  nothing  to  dig  with,"  answered 
Howard  gloomily. 

"Yes,  our  hands,"  added  Tim  desperately. 

Jack  was  at  last  persuaded  to  make  the  trial, 
and  as  he  was  the  heavier  of  the  two,  he  raised 
his  companion  in  his  arms,  and  the  slow,  diffi- 
cult job  began. 

It  was  but  a  minute  or  two  that  each  could 
work,  and  before  long  their  finger-tips  became 
sore  and  bleeding.  Again  and  again  Howard 
was  ready  to  give  up,  but  Tim,  with  a  persist- 
ence born  of  desperation,  kept  on,  until  there 
was^  a  hole  large  enough  for  them  to  crawl 
through  directly  beneath  the  stone. 

The  ever  increasing  heap  of  dirt  they  cast  at 


286  THE  CRUISE  OF  THE  FIREFLY 

their  feet,  made  the  latter-  part  of  the  work 
easier  to  be  reached,  and  enabled  them  also, 
when  the  opening  was  complete,  to  crawl  forth. 
But  when  they  were  again  in  the  fresh  air,  the 
sun  was  well  past  the  meridian,  and  a  heavy 
cloud  was  fast  covering  the  sky. 

They  turned  eagerly  to  their  bags  for  the 
food  they  so  much  needed,  to  find  them  torn 
open  and  the  contents  eaten,  probably  by  wolves 
during  the  previous  night.  Quenching  their 
thirst,  however,  at  a  tiny  brook  not  far  off,  they 
shouldered  their  guns  and,  still  weak  and  faint, 
started  for  the  lake. 

When  they  reached  it  the  coming  storm  was 
all  ready  to  burst  upon  them,  and  to  their  dis- 
may the  yawl  under  which  they  had  hoped  to 
crawl  for  shelter,  was  gone. 

"Come,  Jack,  let  us  give  up,  and  go  back  to 
the  island/'  Tim  now  said. 

"How  can  we  get  there?  We  are  too  weak 
to  swim  over,"  he  answered. 

"We  might  halloo,  and  they  would  come  over 
after  us,"  suggested  Secord,  gazing  wistfully 
over  toward  the  island. 

While  Howard  hesitated,  the  tempest  burst  in 
fury  over  the  lake,  and  the  lads  fled  to  the 
shelter  of  a  neighboring  tree.  It  was  a  dead 
one,  and  upon  the  leeward  side  was  a  hollow  in 


OVER  THE  FALLS  287 

which  they  crouched  from  the  pelting  rain.  A 
moment  later,  however,  came  a  tremendous  gust 
of  wind  that  snapped  the  tree,  as  though  but 
a  pipe  stem,  from  its  roots,  and  hurled  that  and 
the  helpless  boys  out  into  the  lake. 

Eising  to  the  surface  unhurt,  they  tried  to 
swim  back  to  the  shore,  but  the  tossing  waves 
rendered  that  impossible,  and  they  turned 
toward  the  tree-trunk  floating  no  great  distance 
away. 

Holding  firmly  to  this  they  drifted  along, 
until  a  dull  roar  reached  their  ears.  They 
knew  it  was  the  sound  of  the  falls,  toward  which 
they  were  driving  at  a  furious  rate;  and,  sud- 
denly realizing  the  new  danger  that  awaited 
them,  they  sent  forth  the  piercing  cries  for  help 
which  reached  the  ears  of  Wallace  and  his  com- 
rades. 

Rushing  out  from  the  tent  and  down  to  the 
lower  end  of  the  island,  they  caught  sight  of  the 
unfortunate  lads,  and  recognized  their  peril. 

"We  must  try  to  save  them,"  cried  Ben,  hob- 
bling as  fast  as  possible  in  the  driving  storm 
toward  the  landing.  Harry  understanding  his 
object  was  quickly  beside  him,  and  a  minute 
later  the  yawl  (which  Oneco  had  so  providen- 
tially returned)  shot  down  the  lake  pulled  by 
their  stout  arms. 


288  THE  CRUISE  OF  THE  FIREFLY 

The  wind  was  witli  them  and  they  gained 
rapidly  upon  the  floating  tree.  It  was  still  some 
rods  above  the  falls  in  fact,  when  they  caught 
up  with  it,  and  pulled  the  well-nigh  exhausted 
boys  on  board. 

So  intent  were  the  rescuers  upon  their  heroic 
purpose  that  neither,  up  to  this  moment, 
thought  of  any  danger  to  themselves.  They 
now  found  to  their  consternation  that  they  were 
already  being  urged  forward  by  the  powerful 
suction  that  swept  everything  once  within  its 
grasp  over  the  brink  of  the  falls. 

Ben  had  been  the  first  to  discover  this,  and 
uttered  a  sharp  cry.  Harry  caught  his  mean- 
ing, and  bending  to  their  oars  with  an  energy 
born  of  despair,  they  were  doing  their  utmost 
the  next  moment  to  force  the  boat  out  of  the 
channel  to  the  shore. 

Life  and  death  were  in  the  balance,  and  for 
a  time  they  neither  gained  nor  lost  in  their  bat- 
tle with  the  ruthless  current.  At  last,  however, 
it  was  clear  that  they  had  discovered  their  dan- 
ger too  late. 

"It's  no  use,  Ben,"  exclaimed  Wallace,  and 
his  tones  showed  that  he  fully  realized  the  peril 
they  were  in:  "We  have  got  to  go  over  the 
falls." 

The  roar  of  the  cataract  became  more  dis- 


OVER  THE  FALLS  289 

tiuct;  trees  and  other  objects  on  shore  darted 
by  with  incredible  swiftness ;  the  blinding  spray 
dashed  into  the  faces  of  the  lads  with  the  keen- 
ness of  a  knife. 

Nearer  and  nearer  they  drew  to  the  brink. 
The  rescued  youths  crouched  heljjless  in  the 
bottom  of  the  yawl ;  brave  Harry  had  taken  in 
his  oar;  but  Ben,  even  at  that  moment  not  re- 
signing all  hope,  crept  to  the  stern  and  tried  to 
guide  the  boat  where  the  watei  was  smoothest. 
Then  they  shot  out  over  the  abyss,  and  went 
down. 

19 


CHAPTEB  XXIX 

AULD  LANG  SYNE 

THESE  were  several  fortuitous  circum- 
stances connected  with  that  hazardous 
plunge  down  the  falls,  which  the  lads 
themselves  at  a  later  hour  were  ready  to  recog- 
nize with  profound  thankfulness. 

Ben's  strong  arm  had  steered  the  yawl  some 
yards  to  the  right  of  the  vortex  of  the  cataract, 
where  the  water  was  smoother  and  the  current 
less  strong;  the  weight  of  the  four  boys  served 
as  a  ballast  to  the  light  craft  and  kept  it  right 
side  up ;  then  a  powerful  gust  of  wind  struck  the 
boat  at  the  instant  it  dashed  over  the  brink, 
carrying  it  in  its  tremendous  leap  beyond  the 
rocks  and  the  whirlpool  at  the  base  of  the  preci- 
pice into  the  quiet  surface  of  the  pool. 

The  result  was,  therefore,  nowhere  near  so 
disastrous  as  naturally  would  have  been  ex- 
pected ;  for  though  the  yawl  struck  with  a  force 
that  threw  the  occupants  out,  and  completely 
swamped  it,  the  lads  were  not  otherwise  in- 
jured.    Clinging  to  the   sides   of  the   sunken 

290 


AULD  LANG  SYNE  291 

craft  they  slowly  worked  their  way  along  to  the 
bank,  and  crawled  out  under  the  great  oaks 
where  the  Institute  camp  had  first  been  pitched. 

■ '  I  wonder  if  any  person  ever  went  over  those 
falls  before  to-night,  and  came  out  alive  and  un- 
hurt f"  Ben  said,  when,  with  Harry's  help,  he 
had  reached  the  foot  of  a  tree  which  afforded 
him  some  shelter  from  the  raging  storm. 

' i  It  would  be  hard  even  now  to  make  one  be- 
lieve it, ' '  Harry  declared,  gazing  at  the  roaring 
cataract,  "and  all  the  world  wouldn't  tempt  me 
to  go  over  there  again." 

"No,  we  all  agree  with  you  in  that,  don't  we 
boys?"  remarked  Ben,  with  a  solemn  shake  of 
his  head  that  added  emphasis  to  his  words. 

Jack  and  Tim,  who  were  crouching  close  to 
their  rescuers,  made  no  answer  however.  The 
narrow  escape  from  death  they  had  just  expe- 
rienced seemed  to  have  dazed  them,  and  beyond 
a  mere  look  at  the  crippled  boy,  they  gave  no 
further  recognition  that  they  had  understood 
his  words. 

"We  shall  have  to  remain  here  until  the 
storm  is  over,"  Harry  said  to  Ben  some  min- 
utes later. 

"It  looks  as  though  I'd  stay  quite  a  while 
longer,  unless  you  fellows  carry  me,"  replied 
Ben  with  a  faint  smile.     "My  crutches  floated 


292  THE  CRUISE  OF  THE  FIREFLY 

out  from  the  boat,  and  went  down  stream  with 
the  oars." 

"We'll  find  a  way  to  get  you  back  to  the 
island."  Harry  responded,  "and  once  there 
we  can  soon  make  you  another  pair.  But  what 
was  that?" 

The  question  was  called  forth  by  hearing  the 
sound  of  footsteps  in  the  forest  above  them,  and 
the  next  instant  Ed  Willis  and  Tom  Sexsmith 
came  scrambling  down  the  bank. 

1  i  Thank  heaven,  you  fellows  are  safe ! ' '  they 
ejaculated  as  they  caught  sight  of  the  four 
boys.  "But  tell  us  how  you  got  down  those 
falls  alive?" 

As  briefly  as  possible  Harry  described  their 
descent;  then  he  asked: 

"But  how  came  you  over  here?" 

"Do  you  suppose  we  could  stay  there  on  the 
island  uncertain  as  to  your  fate?"  exclaimed 
Tom;  "not  for  a  thousand  storms  like  this. 
The  moment  we  saw  you  must  go  down  the  cata- 
ract, Oneco,  Ed,  and  I  ran  back  to  the  launch. 
Fortunately  the  fires  were  not  yet  out,  and  we 
soon  had  steam  enough  to  venture  across.  The 
wind  drove  us  well  down  the  lake,  and  tossed 
the  steamer  about  like  a  cockle  shell,  but  we 
managed  to  reach  the  shore  a  few  rods  above 
here.     The  Indian  is  looking  out  for  the  vessel 


AULD  LANG  SYNE  293 

now,  while  we've  hurried  on  down  here  to 
search  for  you.  But  come  on  up  to  the  boat,  it 
will  be  better  than  staying  here." 

i '  You  '11  have  to  carry  me, ' '  put  in  Ben ;  i '  you 
see  my  sticks  have  gone  down  the  brook. ' ' 

"Tom  and  I  will  take  you  along,"  answered 
Willis. 

"Let  us  drag  the  yawl  out  of  the  pool  first," 
said  Harry;  "it  isn't  injured  badly,  and  we  can 
easily  fix  it  up  to-morrow." 

Ed  and  Tom  followed  him  to  the  water's  edge, 
and  under  their  united  efforts  the  boat  was 
pulled  up  under  the  trees  and  turned  over. 
Then  the  three  lads  lifted  Ben  gently  up  in  their 
arms,  and  accompanied  by  Howard  and  Secord, 
went  up  to  the  lake,  and  along  its  shore  to  the 
launch. 

They  found  Oneco  waist  deep  in  the  water, 
trying  to  keep  the  vessel  from  dashing  heavily 
against  the  rocky  bank;  and  immediately  real- 
ized it  would  not  be  safe  to  leave  her  there  while 
the  storm  continued  from  that  quarter.  It  was 
fast  growing  dark  also,  and  there  was  little 
hope  of  returning  to  the  camp  that  night. 

"We  must  work  the  launch  along  the  shore 
and  under  the  lea  of  that  point,"  Harry  said, 
glancing  through  the  gloom  towards  a  high 
promontory,  that,  heavily  wooded,  ran  out  into 


294  THE  CRUISE  OF  THE  FIREFLY 

the  lake  in  a  northeasterly  direction,  perhaps  a 
quarter  of  a  mile  away.  ' '  Once  there  the  rocks 
and  forest  will  protect  us,  and  we  can  lie  quietly 
until  morning.' ' 

' '  I  don 't  believe  we  can  get  up  steam  enough 
to  run  up  the  shore  against  this  wind, ' '  Ben  re- 
marked as  his  comrades  put  him  upon  the 
steamer;  "we  don't  want  to  take  another  risk 
of  going  over  the  falls. ' ' 

"Not  if  we  know  it,"  responded  Harry  em- 
phatically; "so  we'll  push  the  boat  up  there 
during  the  lulls.  Jack  and  Tim  are  all  used  up 
and  had  better  get  on  board  with  you,  Ben ;  the 
rest  of  us  will  do  the  work." 

The  four  lads  therefore  entered  the  water  to 
their  waists,  and  began  to  push  the  Fire-Fly  up 
the  shore.  It  was  a  slow  and  laborious  task,  but 
they  persevered,  and  at  last  reached  the  shelter 
of  the  point. 

There  was  a  secure  harbor  here,  as  they  had 
expected,  and  securely  fastening  the  launch, 
they  all  crowded  into  her  tiny  cabin.  Though 
they  had  no  dry  clothing  to  put  on,  they  found 
the  protection  thus  afforded  them  preferable  to 
an  exposure  to  the  night  air  or  pelting  storm, 
and  stretching  themselves  out  into  as  comfort- 
able positions  as  their  narrow  quarters  would 


AULD  LANG  SYNE  295 

permit,  they  waited  for  the  tempest  to  blow 
over. 

A  few  minutes  after  they  were  housed  Tim 
Secord  feebly  asked : 

"Have  you  fellows  got  anything  to  eat  on 
board?  Jack  and  I  haven't  had  a  mouthful 
since  yesterday  noon. " 

"I'm  sorry,"  answered  Harry  regretfully, 
' '  but  we  haven 't  a  thing.  We  have  had  no  sup- 
per ourselves,  but  that's  nothing  compared  with 
you  and  Jack.  I  promise  you  the  moment  it  is 
safe  to  venture  across  to  the  island,  we'll  go, 
and  you  shall  then  have  as  square  a  meal  as  we 
know  how  to  get  ready.  Do  you  mind  telling  us 
now  how  you  came  on  that  tree  in  the  lake?" 

Secord  looked  at  Howard,  who  nodded  his 
head,  saying  huskily :     "Go  ahead,  Tim. ' ' 

Thus  encouraged  Tim  told  the  whole  story  of 
his  and  his  comrade's  misfortunes  until  they 
had  been  picked  up  by  Harry  and  Ben. 

"You  fellows  have  saved  our  lives  at  the  risk 
of  our  own,"  he  ended,  "and  Jack  and  I  don't 
propose  to  hold  out  against  you  any  longer. 
You  shall  have  the  banners  as  soon  as  we  can 
get  them  for  you,  shan't  they,  Jack!" 

"Yes,"  Howard  answered  in  the  same  husky 
tone  he  had  used  before,  and  then  he  relapsed 
into  his  old  silence, 


296  THE  CRUISE  OF  THE  FIREFLY 

A  little  after  midnight  the  storm  had  passed 
over;  the  moon  broke  through  the  clouds,  and 
thinking  of  Jack  and  Tim's  needs,  Harry  gave 
the  word  for  the  return  to  the  island. 

They  found  the  tents  still  standing,  and 
though  their  fuel  was  too  wet  to  build  a  fire  in 
their  stone  oven,  the  boys  by  the  aid  of  their  oil 
stove  were  able  to  boil  a  pot  of  coffee,  and  get 
together  a  respectable  meal. 

Howard  and  Secord  ate  at  first  as  though 
they  would  never  be  satisfied,  but  at  last  found 
an  end  to  even  their  capacious  appetites.  Then 
without  stopping  to  clear  up  the  remains  of 
their  repast,  all  rolled  up  in  the  warm  and  dry 
blankets  and  went  to  sleep. 

Not  until  a  late  hour  the  next  morning  was 
the  camp  again  in  motion,  and  the  middle  of  the 
forenoon  had  come  before  breakfast  was  over. 
Then  Howard,  who  had  been  silent  throughout 
the  morning,  turned  to  Cripple  Ben,  and  with 
flushed  cheeks,  asked: 

"Will  you  forgive  me,  Ben,  for  the  way  I've 
misused  you,  not  only  here  but  at  home?" 

"Of  course  I  will,"  Ben  eagerly  responded, 
and  he  placed  his  hand  in  that  of  the  penitent 
boy's  with  a  grasp  that  fairly  made  him  wince. 

Then  Howard  turned  to  Harry.     "Can  I  ask 


AULD  LANG  SYNE  297 

the  same  favor  of  you" — be  began,  but  Wallace 
anticipated  him. 

"Here  is  my  hand  also,  Jack,  and  I  promise 
you  bygones  are  forgiven  and  forgotten.  Don't 
mention  them  again,  I  pray." 

"Thank  you,"  replied  Howard,  shaking  the 
offered  hand.  "Now  if  you'll  set  Tim  and  me 
over  upon  the  north  shore  we'll  try  to  find  the 
guns  we  left  there,  and  to  get  the  banners  for 
you. ' ' 

"Don't  go  after  them  just  yet,"  responded 
Harry.  I'd  like  to  visit  the  ruins  of  that  set- 
tlement, and  I  know  the  other  boys  would.  We 
have  enough  to  keep  us  busy  this  morning  to 
straighten  out  here  at  camp,  and  to  bring  back 
the  yawl  we  left  down  by  the  pool.  After  din- 
ner, however,  we'll  take  the  tramp  over  on  the 
north  shore  with  you." 

Jack  consented  to  this  arrangement  and  took 
hold  of  the  morning's  work  with  a  heartiness 
that  revealed  more  than  any  words  could  have 
done  how  perfect  was  his  reconciliation  with 
the  lads  he  had  formerly  hated.  As  for  Tim  he 
seemed  to  feel  Howard  had  set  him  an  example, 
and  he  went  from  lad  to  lad,  expressing  his  sor- 
row at  the  course  he  had  taken,  and  proving 
by  his  acts  how  genuine  was  his  repentance 
also. 


298  THE  CRUISE  OF  THE  FIREFLY 

The  yawl  had  been  brought  back  to  the  island, 
the  camp  put  in  thorough  order,  and  dinner  was 
well  under  way,  when  a  shout  from  the  south 
shore  told  that  Jones  and  his  comrades  had  re- 
turned from  down  the  river.  In  a  few  minutes 
they  reached  the  islet,  and  Reed  was  so  sur- 
prised at  the  sight  of  Howard  and  Secord,  and 
his  long  lost  yawl,  that  he  forgot  to  report  his 
own  trip  until  questioned  by  Harry. 

"There  isn't  much  to  tell,"  he  then  said; 
"We  reached  McPherson's  all  right  at  noon 
yesterday,  but  as  you  know  heard  nothing  of 
Jack  and  Tim ;  the  storm  prevented  our  return 
until  this  morning,  and  you  can  believe  we 
worked  hard  to  get  back  here  at  this  hour. ' ' 

Harry  now  told  of  the  adventures  through 
which  he  and  his  companions  had  passed  during 
the  absence  of  the  other  lads. 

"Come,  Oneco,"  he  said  after  finishing  his 
own  story,  ' '  tell  us  now  how  you  came  to  bring 
back  the  guns  and  the  yawl.  It  was  fortunate 
for  Howard  and  Secord  that  you  got  here  so 
opportunely. ' ' 

"Me  know  you  want  'em,  so  get  fader  to  let 
me  bring  'em  back,"  was  the  Indian  lad's  brief 
tale,  and  it  was  not  until  some  time  after  that 
Harry  found  out  that  the  boy  had  purchased  the 
restored  articles  with  his  own  rifle,  the  wolf 


AULD  LANG  SYNE  299 

skins,  and  some  other  articles  he  possessed,  that 
had  value  in  the  old  Indian's  eyes. 

During  all  this  conversation  Jones  had  said 
nothing  to  Howard,  and  Wallace  noticing  the 
fact,  said : 

"Here,  Reed,  shake  hands  with  Jack;  all  the 
rest  of  us  have  made  up  with  him,  and  we  want 
you  to  do  so  at  once,  and  then  our  reconciliation 
will  be  complete. ' ' 

"I'll  do  that  when  he  has  restored  the  ban- 
ners," replied  Jones  coldly. 

"That'll  be  very  soon  then,  for  we  are  going 
for  them  right  after  dinner,"  responded  Harry 
gleefully. 

Ben  with  Oneco's  help  had  been  at  work  all 
the  forenoon  upon  some  new  crutches ;  but  they 
were  not  yet  done,  and  so  it  was  decided  to  leave 
those  two  lads  in  camp,  while  all  the  others  went 
on  the  expedition  to  the  abandoned  settlement. 

Landing  on  the  shore  at  the  place  where  the 
runaways  had  left  their  guns,  the  lost  weapons 
were  secured,  and  then  the  tramp  over  to  the 
secluded  valley  was  begun.  In  an  hour  the 
journey  was  complete,  and  the  party  stood  be- 
fore the  underground  cellar. 

The  strong  arms  of  a  half  dozen  boys  accom- 
plished what  Jack  and  Tim  had  not  been  able 
to  do,  and  the  flat  stone  was  turned  completely 


300  THE  CRUISE  OF  THE  FIREFLY 

away  from  the  hole.  As  the  sunlight  streamed 
into  the  opening,  Howard  himself  entered  the 
subterranean  chamber  and  brought  out  the  silk 
flags.  Their  appearance  again,  without  soil  or 
blemish,  led  the  rightful  owners  to  give  three 
hearty  cheers,  in  which  Jones  and  his  crew 
joined;  and  before  their  sound  had  died  away 
among  the  surrounding  hills,  Seed  placed  his 
hand  in  Howard's  saying: 

"Here  Jack,  even  our  reconciliation  is  now 
complete.' ' 


CHAPTER  XXX 

NEAR  OF  KIN 

CALLING  the  boys  together,  Harry  now 
formed  a  procession,  with  one  banner  at 
the  head  and  the  other  at  the  rear.  Then 
they  began  their  triumphant  and  it  must  be  con- 
fessed somewhat  hilarious  march  back  to  the 
lake.  Embarking  upon  their  yawls,  they 
crossed  to  the  main  shore,  where  when  they 
reached  the  camp  they  found  Ben's  crutches 
were  done  and  Oneco  was  simply  waiting  for 
their  return  before  taking  his  departure. 

"We  shall  see  you  again,"  Harry  said  good 
naturedly,  as  he  shook  hands  with  the  dusky 
youth. 

"Me  come,  stay  week,  show  you  hunt,  show 
you  fish,"  he  replied  waving  his  hand  so  as  to 
embrace  the  whole  circle  of  the  lake. 

"Of  course,"  Harry  answered;  "we  shall  be 
here  for  some  time  yet,  and  we'll  be  glad  to 
learn  your  way  of  taking  game  and  we'll  teach 
you  ours." 

Oneco    nodded    gravely,    and    then    shaking 

301 


302  THE  CRUISE  OF  THE  FIREFLY 

hands  with  all  the  lads,  not  even  forgetting 
Howard,  he  stepped  into  his  graceful  canoe  and 
paddled  away. 

There  is  no  need  to  dwell  upon  the  joyous 
days  that  followed,  or  to  tell  of  Oneco's  next 
visit,  during  which  Harry  learned  how  he  had 
bartered  his  rifle  in  order  to  return  their  yawls 
and  guns  to  his  white  friends.  The  Indian 
youth  stayed  at  the  island  until  the  camp  was 
broken  and  the  launch  again  lowered  to  the 
pool.  As  she  steamed  away  on  her  home  voy- 
age, he  watched  her  out  of  sight  and  then  went 
back  to  his  own  people,  richer  far  than  he  had 
ever  been  before,  for  every  lad  had  found  some- 
thing which  he  insisted  Oneco  should  keep  as  a 
memento  of  their  acquaintanceship. 

Nor  shall  we  follow  our  young  friends  on 
their  journey  save  to  record  a  single  incident. 
While  running  across  the  Bay  of  Fundy,  they 
came  up  with  a  becalmed  schooner,  and  the  mo- 
ment Ben  read  her  name — The  Gamble — he 
turned  the  launch  from  her  course  and  steamed 
alongside.  To  the  delight  of  the  lads  her  cap- 
tain and  Mr.  Brown  appeared  on  the  vessel's 
deck  and  there  was  general  joy  over  the  un- 
expected meeting. 

"We  are  hardly  strong  enough  to  tow  you 
into  port,"  said  Harry  with  a  laugh;  "but  if 


NEAR  OF  KIN  303 

you  are  in  a  hurry,  Mr.  Brown,  we'll  take  you 
along-  with,  us  and  drop  you  at  Machiasport. ' ' 

The  invitation  was  gladly  accepted,  for  that 
gentleman  was  anxious  to  make  connection  for 
Boston  at  the  earliest  practical  moment.  When 
the  Fire-Fly  reached  that  city  Mr.  Wallace  met 
the  boys.  The  launch,  the  banners  and  the 
articles  designed  for  the  Museum  of  the  Insti- 
tute were  entrusted  to  the  care  of  the  High 
School  boys,  and  they  continued  the  voyage 
around  the  coast  to  Melrose.  Tom  Sexsmith, 
Fred  Williams,  Ed  Willis,  Frank  Reynolds  and 
Rob  Hunt  hurried  away  each  to  his  native  vil- 
lage, while  Ben  accompanied  Harry  and  his 
father  home,  where  the  halt  boy  was  always 
sure  of  a  warm  welcome. 

The  friendships  formed  on  this  memorable 
cruise  were  of  that  enduring  character  that  they 
were  sure  to  last  through  life.  Reed  and  his 
crew  gave  a  banquet  to  which  all  their  old 
rivals  were  invited,  and  where  Ben  was  the 
guest  of  honor.  At  the  close  of  the  feast, 
Howard,  who  sat  at  Ben's  left  hand,  confided 
to  him  what  soon  became  "an  open  secret"  to 
all  Melrose  and  the  world:  the  High  School 
authorities  had  by  a  unanimous  vote  decided  to 
purchase  the  Institute  buildings,  consolidate  the 
two  seats  of  learning  and  place  Dr.  Randall  at 


304  THE  CRUISE  OF  THE  FIREFLY 

the  head.  Rising  to  his  feet,  Ben  announced 
the  fact  and  proposed  that  all  should  drink  suc- 
cess to  the  new  enterprise  in  their  glasses  of 
cold,  sparkling  water. 

"A  fit  emblem,"  he  added  as  he  held  up  his 

own  glass,  "of  that  crystal  lake  beside  which 

,  the  Rival  Camps  were  blended  into  one.     May 

there  now  be  as  happy  an  ending  to  the  Rival 

Schools." 

And  the  voices  of  the  two  crews  mingled  in 
the  encore  so  perfectly  they  could  not  be  dis- 
tinguished from  each  other ;  a  harbinger  doubt- 
less of  what  subsequent  history  has  shown  the 
fate  of  the  united  institutions  to  be. 

Two  hideous  lynxes,  two  great  black  bears, 
two  caribou  heads,  all  stuffed  to  the  naturalness 
of  life,  and  two  silk  pennants,  gracing  the  walls 
of  the  M.  V.  I.  Museum,  alone  remain  to  bear 
witness  to  the  fact  that  there  were  once  two 
rival  seats  of  learning  in  the  town  of  Melrose, 
or  two  rival  camps  among  the  South  mountains 
of  Nova  Scotia. 

Nor  is  there  any  doubt  that  the  happy  termi- 
nation of  the  long  feud  between  the  institutions 
was  a  direct  outcome  of  the  reconciliation  be- 
tween the  two  crews,  from  which  sprang  a  pub- 
lic sentiment  which  led  the  town  authorities  to 


NEAR  OF  KIN  305 

make  the  important  change  which  ended  forever 
all  jealous  feeling  between  the  schools. 

So  loyalty  to  the  right  won  a  victory  of  which 
Ben  and  his  comrades  never  dreamed. 
20 


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Each  Volume  Illustrated.     i2mo.     Cloth. 


HORATIO  ALGER,  JR. 

The  enormous  sales  of  the  books  of  Horatio  Alger,  Jr., 
show  the  greatness  of  his  popularity  among  the  boys,  and 
prove  that  he  is  one  of  their  most  favored  writers.  I  am 
told  that  more  than  half  a  million  copies  altogether  have 
been  sold,  and  that  all  the  large  circulating  libraries  in  the 
country  have  several  complete  sets,  of  which  only  two  or 
three  volumes  are  ever  on  the  shelves  at  one  time.  If  this 
is  true,  what  thousands  and  thousands  of  boys  have  read 
and  are  reading  Mr.  Alger's  books !  His  peculiar  style  of 
stories,  often  imitated  but  never  equaled,  have  taken  a 
hold  upon  the  young  people,  and,  despite  their  similarity, 
are  eagerly  read  as  soon  as  they  appear. 

Mr.  Alger  became  famous  with  the  publication  of  that 
undying  book,  "Ragged  Dick,  or  Street  Life  in  New  York:' 
It  was  his  first  book  for  young  people,  and  its  success  was 
so  great  that  he  immediately  devoted  himself  to  that  kind 
of  writing.  It  was  a  new  and  fertile  field  for  a  writer 
then,  and  Mr.  Alger's  treatment  of  it  at  once  caught  the 
fancy  of  the  boys.  "Ragged  Dick"  first  appeared  in  1868, 
and  ever  since  then  it  has  been  selling  steadily,  until  now 
it  is  estimated  that  about  200.000  copies  of  the  series  have 
been  sold. — Pleasant  Hours  for  Boys  and  Girls, 


THE   JOHN   C.    WINSTON   CO.  S    POPULAR   JUVENILES. 

A  writer  for  boys  should  have  an  abundant  sympathy 
with  them.  He  should  be  able  to  enter  into  their  plans4 
hopes,  and  aspirations.  He  should  learn  to  look  upon  lifo 
as  they  do.  Boys  object  to  be  written  down  to.  A  boy*s 
h  jart  opens  to  the  man  or  writer  who  understands  him. 

— From  Writing  Stories  for  Boys,  by  Horatio  Alger,  Jr« 


RAGGED  DICK  SERIES. 

6  vols.  By  Horatio  Alger,  Jr.  $6.00 

Ragged  Dick.  Rough  and  Ready. 

Fame  and  Fortune.  Ben  the  Luggage  Boy. 

Mark  the  Match  Boy.  Rufus  and  Rose. 

TATTERED  TOM  SERIES— First  Series. 

4  vols.  By  Horatio  Alger,  Jr.  $4.00 

Tattered  Tom.  Phil  the  Fiddler. 

Paul  the  Peddler.  Slow  and  Sure. 

TATTERED  TOM  SERIES— Second  Series. 

4  vols.  $4.00 

Julius.  Sam's  Chance. 

The  Young  Outlaw.  The  Telegraph  Boy. 

CAMPAIGN  SERIES. 

3  vols.  By  Horatio  Alger,  Jr.  $3.00 

Frank's  Campaign.  Charlie  Codman's  Cruise 

Paul  Prescott's  Charge. 

LUCK  AND  PLUCK  SERIES— First  Series. 

4  vols.  By  Horatio  Alger,  Jr.  $4.00 
Luck  and  Pluck.  Strong  and  Steady. 
Sink  or  Swim.                                         Strive  and  Succeed. 


THE   JOHN    C.    WINSTON    CO/s    POPULAR   JUVENILES. 

LUCK  AND  PLUCK  SERIES— Second  Series. 

4  vols.  $4.00 

Try  and  Trust.  Risen  from  the  Ranks. 

Bound  to  Rise.  Herbert  Carter' s<  Legacy. 

BRAVE  AND  BOLD  SERIES. 

4  vols.  By  Horatio  Alger,  Jr.  #4.00 

Brave  and  Bold.  Shifting  for  Himself. 

Jack's  Ward.  Wait  and  Hope. 

NEW  WORLD  SERIES. 

3  vols.  By  Horatio  Alger,  Jr.  $3.00. 

Digging  for  Gold.     Facing  the  World.         In  a  New  World 

VICTORY  SERIES. 

3  vols.  By  Horatio  Alger,  Jr.  $3.00 

Only  an  Irish  Boy.  Adrift  in  the  City, 

Victor  Vane,  or  the  Young  Secretary. 

FRANK  AND  FEARLESS  SERIES. 

3  vols.  By  Horatio  Alger,  Jr.  $3.00 

Frank  Hunter's  Peril.  Frank  and  Fearless. 

The  Young  Salesman. 

GOOD  FORTUNE  LIBRARY. 

3  vols.  By  Horatio  Alger,  Jr.  $3.00 

Walter  Sherwood's  Probation.     A  Boy's  Fortune, 
The  Young  Bank  Messenger. 

RUPERT'S  AMBITION. 

1  vol.  By  Horatio  Alger,  Jr.  $1.00 

JED,  THE  POOR=HOUSE  BOY. 

1  vol.  By  Horatio  Alger,  Jr.  $1.00 


THS   JOHN   C.    WINSTON    CO.  S    POPULAR   JUVENILE. 

EDWARD  S-  ELLIS. 

Edward  S.  Elxis,  the  popular  writer  of  boys'  books,  is 
a  native  of  Ohio,  where  he  was  born  somewhat  more  than  a 
half-century  ago.  His  father  was  a  famous  hunter  and  rifle 
shot,  and  it  was  doubtless  his  exploits  and  those  of  his  asso- 
ciates, with  their  tales  of  adventure  which  gave  the  son  his 
taste  for  the  breezy  backwoods  and  for  depicting  the  stirring 
life  of  the  early  settlers  on  the  frontier. 

Mr.  Ellis  began  writing  at  an  early  age  and  his  work  was 
acceptable  from  the  first.  His  parents  removed  to  New 
Jersey  while  he  was  a  boy  and  he  was  graduated  from  the 
State  Normal  School  and  became  a  member  of  the  faculty 
while  still  in  his  teens.  He  was  afterward  principal  of  the 
Trenton  High  School,  a  trustee  and  then  superintendent  of 
schools.  By  that  time  his  services  as  a  writer  had  become 
so  pronounced  that  he  gave  his  entire  attention  to  literature. 
He  was  an  exceptionally  successful  teacher  and  wrote  a  num- 
ber of  text-books  for  schools,  all  of  which  met  with  high 
favor.  For  these  and  his  historical  productions,  Princeton 
College  conferred  upon  him  the  degree  of  Master  of  Arts. 

The  high  moral  character,  the  clean,  manly  tendencies 
and  the  admirable  literary  style  of  Mr.  Ellis'  stories  have 
made  him  as  popular  on  the  other  side  of  the  Atlantic  as  in 
this  country.  A  leading  paper  remarked  some  time  since, 
that  no  mother  need  hesitate  to  place  in  the  hands  of  her  boy 
any  book  written  by  Mr.  Ellis.  They  are  found  in  the  lead- 
ing Sunday-school  libraries,  where,  as  may  well  be  believed, 
they  are  in  wide  demand  and  do  much  good  by  their  sound, 
wholesome  lessons  which  render  them  as  acceptable  to  parents 
as  to  their  children.  All  of  his  books  published  by  Henry 
T.  Coates  &  Co.  are  re-issued  in  London,  and  many  have 
been  translated  into  other  languages.  Mr.  Ellis  is  a  writer 
of  varied  accomplishments,  and,  in  addition  to  his  stories,  is 
the  author  of  historical  works,  of  a  number  of  pieces  of  pop- 


.THE    JOHN    C.    WINSTON    CO.  S    POPULAR    JUVENILES. 

ular  music  and  has  made  several  valuable  inventions.  Mr. 
Ellis  is  in  the  prime  of  his  mental  and  physical  powers,  and 
grsat  as  have  been  the  merits  of  his  past  achievements,  there 
is  reason  to  look  for  more  brilliant  productions  from  his  pen 
»n  the  near  future. 


DEERFOOT  SERIES. 
3  vols.  By  Edward  S.  Ellis.  $3.00 

Hunters  of  the  Ozark.  The  Last  War  Trail. 

Camp  in  the  Mountains. 

LOG  CABIN  SERIES. 

3  vols.  By  Edward  S.  Ellis.  $3-oo 

Lost  Trail.  Footprints  in  the  Forest. 

Camp-Fire  and  Wigwam. 

BOY  PIONEER  SERIES, 

3  vols.  By  Edward  S.  Ellis.  $3-oo 

Ned  in  the  Block-House.  Ned  on  the  River. 

Ned  in  the  Woods. 

THE  NORTHWEST  SERIES. 

3  vols.  By  Edward  S.  Ellis.  $3.00 

Two  Boys  in  Wyoming.  Cowmen  and  Rustlers. 

A  Strange  Craft  and  its  Wonderful  Voyage. 

BOONE  AND  KENTON  SERIES. 
3  vols.  By  Edward  S.  Ellis.  $3-oo 

Shod  with  Silence.  In  the  Days  of  the  Pioneers. 

Phantom  of  the  River. 

IRON  HEART,  WAR  CHIEF  OF  THE  IROQUOIS. 

1  vol.  By  Edward  S.  Ellis.  $1.00 

THE  NEW  DEERFOOT  SERIES, 

3  vols.  By  Edward  S.  Ellis.  $3.00 

Deerfoot  in  the  Forest.  Deerfoot  on  the  Prairie. 

Deerfoot  in  the  Mountains. 


THE  JOHN  C.  WINSTON  CO  S  POPULAR  JUVENILES. 

x  COLONIAL  SERIES. 

3  vols.  By  E.  S.  Ellis. 

i2ino.      Cloth $3   oo 

xAn  American  King. 

x  The  Cromwell  of  \  irginia. 

x  The  Last  Emperor  of  the  Old  Dominion. 

WAR  CHIEF  SERIES. 

3  vols.  By  E.  S.  Ellis. 

i2ino.     Cloth 3   oo 

Iron  Keart,  War  Chief  of  the  Iroquois. 
Blazing  Arrow* 
Red  Eagle. 

TRUE  GRIT  SERIES. 

3  vols.  By  E.  S.  Ellis. 

i2mo.     Cloth 3   oo 

Jim  and  J.  e. 

Dorsey,  the  Young  Inventor. 

Secret  of  Coffin  Island. 

UP   AND   DOING    SERIES. 

3  vols.  By     .  S.  Ellis. 

I2IBO.       Cloth 2     25 

Limber  Lew.  A  Hunt  on  Snovshoes. 

The  Cruise  of  the  Fire  fly. 

FOREIGN  ADVENTURE  SERIES. 

3  vols.  By  E.  S.  Ellis. 

i2mo.     Cloth 3  00 

Lost  in  the  Forbidden  Land. 

River  and  Jungle. 

The  Hunt  of  the  White  Elephant. 


Out  of  the  Hurly=Burly. 

By  MAX  ADELER, 

Author  of  "  Captain  Bluitt,"   "  The  Quakeress,"  etc.,  etc. 

WITH  400  ILLUSTRATIONS  BY  A.  B.  FROST  AXD  OTHERS. 


A  BOOK  WITH  A  RECORD, 

Max  Adder's  "  Out  of  the  Hurly-Burly"  has  a  notable  history.  It 
was  first  published  more  than  thirty  years  ago,  and  every  year  since  that 
time  there  has  been  a  large  demand  for  it.  The  total  sales  for  the  Ameri- 
can and  English  editions  probably  approximate  one  million  copies. 

The  book  contains  nearly  four  hundred  of  the  first  drawings  made  by 
the  now  eminent  artist  A.  B.  Frost,  and  is  interesting  upon  that  account. 

It  had  even  larger  popularity  in  Great  Britain  that  in  the  United 
States.  It  has  been  translated  into  several  languages,  and  copies  of  it 
have  gone  literally  to  the  end  of  the  earth.  A  friend  of  the  author's, 
shipwrecked  on  the  coast  of  Norway  a  few  years  ago,  got  ashore  and 
found  refuge  in  a  fisherman's  lonely  hut.  The  first  thing  he  saw  upon 
entering  the  building  was  a  Swedish  translation  of  "  Out  of  the  Hurly- 
Burly"  lying  on  a  table,  and  it  made  him  feel  at  home  at  once.  Another 
friend  discovered  the  book  in  the  cabin  of  a  steamer  a  thousand  miles  up 
a  river  in  China.  Cheering  reports  have  floated  in  from  India  respecting 
it,  and  innumerable  tales  have  come  to  the  auther  of  the  pleasure  it  has 
afforded  to  invalids  and  to  the  sorrowing,  and  of  the  joy  it  has  given  to 
young  people  all  over  the  world. 

The  demand  for  "  Out  of  the  Hurly-Burly  "  continues.  In  fact,  it  is 
beginning  again  to  increase.  Of  how  many  books  published  in  1874  can 
this  be  said  ? 

The  new  generation  is  learning,  as  its  predecessors  did,  that  here  is  a 
book  of  hearty  fun  and  genuine  sentiment,  which  contains  no  word  that 
can  give  offence,  and  which  contributes  liberally  to  society's  stock  of 
cheerfulness. 

For  more  than  a  third  of  a  century  it  has  supplied  innocent  mirth 
to  a  world  in  which  kindly  humor  is  by  no  means  an  abundant  com- 
modity, and  the  promise  is  that  it  will  have  undiminished  benefaction  for 
generations  still  to  come. 


12mo,  Cloth,  extra    ....     $1.25. 


THE  JOHN  C.  WINSTON  CO.,  Publishers, 
PHILADELPHIA,  PA. 


Vh 


